by The Center on Monday, under IT Rules 2021, blocked the website, two mobile applications, four social media accounts and a smart TV app of Pakistan-based OTT platform Vidly TV for showing anti-India content in the his recently released web series “Sevak: The Confessions.”
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), in its order, said that the web series broadcast on the OTT platform “has been found to be harmful to the national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, the defense of the India, state security, friendly relations with foreign states and public order in the country”.
The ministry highlighted several questionable contents present in the web series, on the basis of which it made this decision.
1) The order reads that the opening credits of the web series show the Ashok Chakra of the Indian flag on fire.
2) The web series, the Center says, presents a distorted version of sensitive historical events relating to India.
“The web series portrayed an anti-Indian narrative on sensitive historical events and topics of national importance, for example Operation Blue Star and its aftermath, the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the killing of a Christian missionary named Graham Staines, Malegaon Explosions, Samjhauta Express Explosions, Interstate River Water Dispute Related to Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal, etc.
3) The ministry said that the OTT platform promotes people’s hatred against the Indian government.
It highlights several dialogues: the passing of wounds from the Sikh people to later generations in the context of Operation Blue Star; Indian state is against the interests of the Muslim community, all Indian political parties agree in the demolition of Babri Masjid.
In another example, cited in the ordinance, an image shows an Indian television news show showing “Muslims, Sikhs and Christians are India’s internal threat, says Home Secretary.”
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4) The web series “Sevak: The Confessions” is accused of “promoting separatism, disaffection and disenchantment among the Sikh community with India”.
The Center said Operation Blue Star was described as a “massacre” of “innocent Sikhs”. He added that the situations in Punjab after Operation Blue Star were slyly portrayed with a strong community tone, portraying the violence and police action as religiously inspired. “All Punjab policemen are pictured without a turban, sending a message that non-Sikh policemen have labeled the Sikh population as Khalistani terrorists,” the ministry said.
5) According to the ordinance, the web series was intended to sow hatred and division among Indian communities.
“In one scene, a Hindu priestess is shown declaring that Hindu children must grow up to ‘kill’ Muslims, Christians and Sikhs and cleanse the motherland of their ‘dirty’ existence,” the government said.
“Another scene states that scheduled castes are forced to remain Hindu. Using religious symbols, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots turned out to be an assault by Hindus on Sikhs,” the order added.
