New Delhi: In a recent development, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court by Surjit Singh Yadav, the Chief of Hindu Sena, seeking to ban Netflix's series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The PIL contends that the series misrepresents the identities of the terrorists involved in the 1999 hijacking of Indian Flight 814.
The petitioner, represented by Advocate Shashi Ranjan, has approached the court claiming that the miniseries, directed by Anubhav Sinha, inaccurately portrays the hijackers by using Hindu names like Bhola and Shankar, which are associated with Lord Shiva. The real hijackers were Ibrahim Akhtar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir.
According to the petition, this misrepresentation distorts the identities of the hijackers, misrepresents historical events, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and offends the sentiments of the Hindu community. The plea argues that such distortions could lead to public misunderstanding and potential harm, prompting the need for judicial intervention.
The petition also highlights that India's Constitution upholds secularism and religious harmony, mandating mutual respect for all religions. It asserts that film producers, directors, and actors have a constitutional responsibility to avoid disturbing religious sentiments. To ensure adherence to these principles, the Cinematograph Act of 1952 was enacted. The plea requests the court to address these issues concerning the series.
In response to the allegations circulating on social media, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has reportedly summoned Netflix's content head, Monika Shergill, to discuss the concerns related to the series.
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