MP 2 FIRs against 'Tandav' makers on plaints of Hindutva activists

    (Updating with another FIR)
    Bhopal/Jabalpur/Gwalior (MP), Jan 20 (PTI) Two FIRs
have been registered against the makers of Amazon Prime web
series "Tandav" in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur and Gwalior for
allegedly promoting enmity and outraging religious feelings on
the complaints lodged by two Hindutva activists, police said
on Wednesday.
    An FIR has been registered against the makers and cast
of "Tandav" in Jabalpur on the complaint lodged by a
functionary of Hindu Seva Parishad for allegedly promoting
enmity and outraging religious feelings, a police officer
said.
    Another FIR was registered in Gwalior against the
director, writer and producer of 'Tandav' after Hindu
Mahasabha worker Lalji Sharma filed the complaint in crime
branch's office, police said.
    Separately, Madhya Pradesh Assembly protem Speaker
Rameshwar Sharma has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief
Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding registration of an FIR
against the makers of the controversial political drama on the
complaint filed by BJP MLA from Mumbai, Ram Kadam, asking him
"to take forward the legacy of" Bal Thackeray.
    "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 last Friday.
    "The process to verify the facts mentioned in the FIR
filed against the director of web series ''Tandav'' and others
for allegedly promoting enmity in different religious groups
and hurting religious feelings is on," Jabalpur''s Additional
Superintendent of Police (ASP) Amit Kumar told reporters.
    The FIR against "Tandav" director Ali Abbas, writer
Gaurav Solanki and actors was lodged by Dheeraj Gyanchandani
at Omti police station on Tuesday night, he said.
     Gyanchandani is vice president of Jabalpur-based
Hindu Seva Parishad.
    Kumar said the charges included sections 153-A
(promoting enmity), 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts,
intended to outrage religious feelings) and 505(2) (statements
conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
    The complainant has been asked to furnish facts about
how religious feelings were allegedly hurt through the web
series, he said.
    Interestingly, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam
Mishra on Tuesday said the government will file a case against
the makers of "Tandav" for allegedly hurting religious
sentiments.
    Meanwhile, protem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma told
reporters in Bhopal that he has written a letter to the
Maharashtra chief minister for registration of an FIR against
the makers of the web series.
    "The Maharashtra CM should take forward the legacy of
Shiv Sena and lat Balasaheb Thackeray irrespective of the fact
with whom he formed the government. FIRs were lodged in Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The Maharashtra government should
also file the FIR on the complaint of BJP MLA Ram Kadam,"
Sharma said.
    The Shiv Sena shares power with the NCP and Congress
in Maharashtra.
    In their second apology statement in as many days, the
cast and crew of "Tandav" on Tuesday said they had decided to
implement changes to "address concerns".
    On Monday, Madhya Pradesh medical education minister
Vishvas Sarang appealed to Information and Broadcasting
Minister Prakash Javadekar seeking ban on the web series for
allegedly ridiculing Hindu deities.
    Sarang had also written a letter to Javadekar in this
regard and suggested formation of a censor board for the OTT
segment.
     The minister had said that he mailed a letter to the
CEO of Amazon Prime to immediately withdraw the web series.
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)