'Tandav' controversy: I&B Ministry seeks explanation from Amazon Prime Video
New Delhi: Taking cognizance of complaints that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in web series 'Tandav', the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Sunday sought an explanation from streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on the issue, sources said.
The development came after BJP MP Manoj Kotak on Sunday said he has written to Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar seeking a ban on Amazon Prime Video's series 'Tandav' for ridiculing Hindu deities.
'Tandav', starring actors Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Gauhar Khan and Kritika Kamra, premiered on the streaming platform on Friday.
Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar has created, directed and produced the political drama with Himanshu Kishan Mehra and it is written by Gaurav Solanki, best known for 'Article 15'.
"The ministry has taken cognizance of the matter (complaints) and asked Amazon Prime Video to explain," a source in the ministry said.
Kotak, the MP from Mumbai North-East, alleged that attempts are often made on such platforms to not show Hindu deities in good light.
He said different organisations and individuals have complained that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in 'Tandav' web series.
"Hence, we have made a demand to Javadekar ji and have written to him to ban the web series immediately. The actors, producers and directors should apologise for hurting sentiments," he added.
Sharing the picture of his letter to Javadekar on Twitter, Kotak said as there is no law or autonomous body governing digital content and films on such platforms are full of sex, violence, drugs, abuse, hate and vulgarity.
"Sometimes, they also hurt religious sentiments," he added.
It seems that makers of 'Tandav' have deliberately mocked Hindu gods and disrespected Hindu religious sentiments, he said in the letter dated January 16.
Another politician, Ram Kadam, a BJP MLA from Ghatkopar West, also asked the director to remove the portion of the web series in which Lord Shiva is allegedly ridiculed.
The legislator said he has filed a complaint in this connection at the suburban Ghatkopar police station. When contacted about the complaints, Amazon Prime Video PR said the platform "won't be responding" on the matter.
The government recently brought OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar, besides other online news and current affairs content, under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, giving it powers to regulate policies and rules for the digital space.
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Will end economic disaster of Kamala Harris, launch brand new Trump economic miracle: Donald Trump
Washington (PTI): Describing the economic policies of Vice President Kamala Harris as a disaster, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday said he would launch a brand new economic miracle after he wins the elections.
Trump promised to build American, buy American, and hire American.
"We will end Kamala's economic disaster and launch a brand-new Trump economic miracle," Trump said at a campaign rally in Detroit, Michigan, a battleground State where he is slated to hold his last rally on Monday night.
He said Harris' failed economic agenda wiped out nearly 30,000 private sector jobs just recently, and nearly 50,000 manufacturing jobs just over the last short period of time. "You lost 50,000 manufacturing jobs."
Trump alleged that under Harris' "nation-wrecking policies, the American worker is absolutely drowning. ‘You're drowning".
"Kamala is a radical left Marxist, rated even worse than crazy Bernie Sanders and Pocahontas herself. She destroyed our economy. She was an original creator of the Defund the Police movement. Anybody who wants to defund the police for even one week is not worthy of being President of the United States," Trump said.
"Kamala vowed to abolish ICE. She pledged to confiscate your guns... she even called for free sex changes for illegal aliens in detention. All at taxpayer expense. But perhaps most significant of all, she lied about working at McDonald's. She never worked," he said.
"With your vote, this November, we are going to fire Kamala and we are going to save America. We will cut your taxes, end inflation, slash your prices, raise your wages. and bring thousands and thousands of factories back to America and back to Detroit, Michigan," he said.
He promised, "I will end the war in Ukraine. Would have never started if I was president. I will stop the chaos in the Middle East. Would have never happened October 7th. And I will prevent World War III from happening," he said.
The former president said his administration will crush violent crime and give police the support, protection, resources, and respect that they so dearly deserve.
"We will strengthen and modernise our military. We will build a missile defense shield, the biggest in the world, all over our country, made in the USA, much of it made in Michigan. We will rebuild our cities, including our capital in Washington, D.C., making them safe, clean, and beautiful again. Again, our cities are a mess. They're a mess, a crime-ridden mess," he said.
"We will teach our children to love our country, to honour our history, and to always respect our great American flag. I'm going to put a bill in. If you burn the American flag, you get one year in jail. It is just happened a few weeks ago in Washington. They're burning American flags all over the place. We will get critical race theory and transgender insanity out of our schools. We ill keep men out of women's sports," he said
He said he will defend religious liberty and restore free speech.
"And I will defend the right to keep and bear arms... our Second Amendment, which is under siege. After years of building up foreign nations, defending foreign borders, and protecting foreign lands, we are finally going to build up our country, defend our borders, and protect our citizens and our lands," he said.
"We ill stop illegal immigration once and for all. We will not be invaded. We will not be occupied. We will not be overrun. We will not be conquered. We will be a free, proud nation once again. We're going to be free and proud. Everyone will prosper. Every family will thrive. And every day will be filled with opportunity and hope. And most importantly, it's going to be filled again with the American Dream," Trump said.
