Sacked chief of Indian censor board Anupam Kher Tuesday began legal proceedings against veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet, who allegedly called him an "RSS agent".

Kher's case was filed here in a local magistrate's court that adjourned hearing to Nov 17.

Kher alleged that Surjeet dubbed him an RSS man implementing the Hindutva ideology in the censor board in an article he wrote for the CPI-M publication "People's Democracy".

Kher, also a noted actor, was sacked from the chairmanship of the Central Board of Film Certification last week, reportedly on Surjeet's insistence.

He was appointed by the previous government.

Earlier, Kher had threatened legal action in a notice to Surjeet, asking the CPI-M general secretary to "satisfactorily substantiate the allegation or publicly deny the same within 48 hours".

Kher insisted that Surjeet's comments caused him "undeserved humiliation and disrepute".

The government has appointed veteran actress Sharmila Tagore in place of Kher.