Assam Police bans TV serial Begum Jaan after right-wing groups cry 'love jihad'

Guwahati: In the latest development, the Assam Police has ordered a two-month ban on an Assamese TV serial called "Begum Jaan" accepting that it had "outraged the religious sentiment of a certain section of society.

In an order dated August 24, Guwahati Commissioner of Police Munna Prasad Gupta wrote to Rengoni TV informing the channel of the ban under the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995. "The gist of (the) allegation… is that the serial Begum Jaan has hurt the religious sentiments of certain sections of the society and the serial contains visuals or words contemptuous and defamatory of a particular religion and section of society and is likely to encourage or incite violence,' Gupta wrote in his order.

The order further said that the complaints were placed before a district-level monitoring committee under the cable Act. "The Committee after due deliberation and viewing the video clips of the serial Begum Jaan has opined with an overwhelming majority that the aforesaid serial is in violation of Programme Code as laid down in Rule 6 of the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994… The Committee with an overwhelming majority has come to a conclusion that the said serial has outraged the religious sentiment of certain section of the society which may lead to a breach of peace and tranquillity in the society unless the telecast of the serial is stopped with immediate effect."

The Rengoni TV channel had been issued a show-cause notice and response is being sought within a month, Gupta informed media. The Guwahati Police commissioner, in his order, invoked Section 19 of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 which deals with "Power to prohibit transmission of certain programmes in public interest.

Complaints against 'Begum Jaan' had been registered by the right-wing Hindu Jagaran Mancha, All Assam Brahmin Youth Council, United Trust of Assam and an individual named Gunajit Adhikary.

Hindu right-wing groups have been protesting against the show for over a month now alleging that it promotes "love-jihad" (a theory on the alleged effort by Muslim men in targeting women belonging to non-Muslim communities for conversion to Islam by feigning love).

In view of this, the producers of the show have suspended shooting temporarily. However, they are planning to move court against the ban.

Noted actress Preety Kkongana, who plays the female lead in Begum Jaan, had said she was facing rape and murder threats online from people who found the show to be "offensive". Denying allegations that the show promoted 'love jihad', she had said it just featured a Hindu woman in trouble being helped by a Muslim man.

The serial courted controversy immediately after Rengoni TV started telecasting it three months ago. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, a right-wing group, launched a campaign against the show, claiming that the show promoted love jihad. Twitter hashtags like #BoycottBegumJaan and #BoycottRengoni also started trending.

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