Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra has informed that he had instructed police officials to examine the allegations against Netflix officials that they had hurt religious sentiments by shooting intimate kissing scenes in their series ‘A Suitable Boy’ inside a Hindu temple with religious prayers in the background. Following the order, it has been found that the series has indeed violated Hindu sentiments.
.#Netflix पर प्रसारित वेब सीरीज "A Suitable Boy" के आपत्तिजनक दृश्यों से धर्म विशेष की भावनाएं आहत होने का कानूनी परीक्षण करने के निर्देश गृह एवं विधि विभाग के अधिकारियों को दिए थे। परीक्षण में भावनाएं आहत होने का आरोप सही पाया गया है।@mohdept @DGP_MP pic.twitter.com/FlJJPwfN07
— Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) November 23, 2020
Mishra further stated that the government has decided to act on the basis of the complaint filed by BJP leader Gaurav Tiwari and lodge an FIR at Reva. He further stated that the police has been asked to book Netflix officials Monica Shergill and Ambika Khurana under section 295 A at the Civil Lines police station in Reva, MP as per Tiwari’s complaint.
Calling the scenes extremely “objectionable”, Mishra had said on November 22 (Sunday) that the Madhya Pradesh Police have been asked to scan Mira Nair’s web series to check if kissing scenes in it were indeed shot in a temple.
In a tweet yesterday, Mishra said, “A film titled ‘A Suitable Boy’ has been released on an OTT platform. It depicts extremely objectionable scenes that hurt the feelings of a particular religion. I have directed police officials to look into it.” In a subsequent Tweet, Mishra also asked police officials to inform what legal action can be taken against the producer and director of the show for “hurting religious sentiments”.
पुलिस अधिकारी परीक्षण कर बताएंगे कि संबंधित #ओटीटी_प्लेटफार्म और फ़िल्म के निर्माता निर्देशक पर धार्मिक भावनाएं आहत करने के लिए क्या कानूनी कार्रवाई की जा सकती है।@BJP4India @BJP4MP @DGP_MP @mohdept @BJYM
— Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) November 22, 2020
Meanwhile, Reva SP has said that once they receive the footage of the series from Netflix, the police would investigate and take required action in the matter. He also confirmed that based on Gaurav Tiwari’s complaint an FIR has been registered in the matter.
BJYM leader files FIR against Netflix series ‘A Suitable Boy’ for hurting Hindu sentiments
The Home Minister’s statement comes a day after a BJYM (Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha) leader Gaurav Tiwari, submitted a written complaint to Rewa SP Rakesh Kumar Singh, demanding that an FIR be registered against the OTT platform for streaming a web series which hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus. The series, based on a novel by Vikram Seth was released on Netflix on October 23.
The BJP leader had taken to Twitter to confirm the development. He stated, “In the web series of ‘A Suitable Boy’, Netflix has shown three kissing scenes, in one episode, taking place within the temple premises.” He inquired, “As per the story, a Muslim man is in love with a Hindu woman. But, why were all kissing scenes shot within the temple premises (and not mosque).”
While speaking to reporters, Tiwari reiterated that his objection was not to the kissing scenes but the act being shot in the temple, with Aarti happening in the background. Gaurav Tiwari had also slammed Netflix for using the religious site for promoting ‘love jihad’ and hurting Hindu sentiments.
