BREAKING [Adipurush Row] 'Concerned About Sentiments Of All Religions Equally; Sacred Texts Shouldn't Be Touched Like This': Allahabad HC

While continuing to slam the makers of the film Adipurush for portraying religious characters of Ramayana including Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman in an objectionable manner, the Allahabad High Court today observed that the Court of Law is not about any one religion and that it is concerned with the sentiments of all religions equally. "You should not touch Quran, Bible and other sacred texts. We may make it clear that it is not about any one religion. But you should not depict any religion in a bad light. The Court has no religion of its own. Our only concern is that the law and order situation should be maintained," the bench of Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Shree Prakash Singh remarked as they questioned the psyche of the makers of the film while making the movie.The Court also noted that the sentiments must have been hurt by the way the movie portrayed the religious characters. The Court added that in recent times it has come across several movies wherein the Hindu god and goddess were shown in a funny way."If we will shut our mouths today then you know what will happen? These incidents are increasing day by day. I saw a movie wherein Lord Shankar was shown running with his Trishul in a very funny manner. Now, these things will be showcased?...The filmmakers earn money as films do business...This is going back to back. Something or the other is being done to break the harmony. The producer will have to come in this. Is this a joke? Suppose if you make even a short documentary on the Quran, depicting wrong things, then you will see what will happen...However, I may once again clarify that it is not about any one religion. It is by chance that this issue is concerned with Ramayana, otherwise Court belongs to all religions."However, the Court also clarified that it has not passed any substantive order in the matter as yet and that the oral observations of the Court were concerned with the issue at hand. "But you will see that all these things would be published (in media) by the evening," the Court quipped. Further, the Court also questioned the Deputy Solicitor General of India Senior Counsel SB Pandey as to how would he defend the movie when it contains prima facie objectionable scenes and dialogues. The Court also noted that the issue at hand is sensitive and that the Central Board of Film Certification did a blunder by passing this film.In response to this, when the Dy. SGI said that the certificate was given by a board consisting of sensible members, the Court, on a lighter vein, remarked that if such 'sanskari' people were passing such a movie, then they are truly blessed."Aap keh rhe hain ki sanskar wale logon ne is movie ko certify kiya hai (referring to board members) jahan Ramayana ke baare mein aisa dikhaya gaya hai to wo log dhanya hai," the Court said.This observation came a day after the HC observed as to why the tolerance level of a particular religion (referring to Hindus) was being put to the test by them."The one who is gentle should be suppressed? Is it so? It is good that it is about a religion, the believers of which did not create any public order problem. We should be thankful. We saw in the news that some people had gone to cinema halls (wherein the movie was being exhibited) and they only forced them to close the hall, they could have done something else as well," the bench had rematrked yesterday."Agar hum log ispar bhi aankh band kar len kyonki yeh kaha jaata hai ki yeh dharm ke log bade sahishnu (Tolerant) hain to kya uska test liya jayega? (If we close our eyes on this issue also, because it is said that the people of this religion are very tolerant, so will it be put to test?)," the bench further remarked.Read more about the Court's observations made yesterday here: 'Why Tolerance Of Hindus Being Put To Test?; Thank Heavens They Didn't Create Law & Order Situation': Allahabad HC Slams Makers Of 'Adipurush'It may be noted that the Court is currently dealing with 2 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pleas filed against the exhibition and dialogues of the Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon starrer movie.After an hour-long hearing yesterday, the Court today again heard the matters and wondered as to what went through 'Adipurush' filmmakers' minds as they came up with this movie. The Court stressed that no one thinks like this about Ramayana characters, in the way it has been depicted by the filmmakers."Does anyone imagine the religious characters to be in existence in the way they are shown in the movie? The attire worn by the characters in the movie, do we imagine our gods to be like this? Ramcharitmanas is a sacred text, people recite it before leaving their homes and you depict it in such a pathetic way?"Noting that religious scriptures, towards which people are sensitive, should not be touched or encroached upon, the bench yesterday stressed that the petitions before it were not at all Propanda Peititons and that they were concerned with a genuine issue."The issue...

BREAKING [Adipurush Row] 'Concerned About Sentiments Of All Religions Equally; Sacred Texts Shouldn't Be Touched Like This': Allahabad HC

Sparsh Upadhyay

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