Bajrang Dal Activists Ransack Series Set for ‘Wrong Portrayal of Hindus’, Throw Ink on Director

The Hindutva group said that it would not allow the shooting of the web series Ashram, directed and produced by Prakash Jha.

Bhopal: Activists of the Hindutva outfit Bajrang Dal allegedly ransacked the set of the third season of web-series ‘Ashram’ on Sunday and also threw ink on its producer-director Prakash Jha, accusing him of portraying Hindus wrongly, police said.

The windscreens of two buses of the crew were also broken in stone-pelting, they said.

Besides that, Bajrang Dal threatened that it would not allow the shooting of this web series further.

Talking to PTI, Superintendent of Police (SP), Bhopal south, Sai Krishna Thota, said that some people raised objections and staged protests over the name of the web series when it’s shooting was underway at Old Jail Premises located in Arera Hills.

“Bajrang Dal activists objected that this web series hurt the sentiments of Hindus as it contains obscene scenes,” he said.

“The protesters also threw ink on Prakash Jha and pelted stones”, the officer added.

Thota said that the windscreens of two buses were damaged due to stone pelting and one person was injured.

He said that immediately after the incident, police personnel reached the spot and brought the situation under control. No person has been arrested in this regard so far.

Bajrang Dal

Bajrang Dal activists on the sets of Ashram. Photo captured by eyewitnesses. Photo: Twitter/@ndtvfeed

Bajrang Dal activists also raised slogans against Prakash Jha and Bollywood actor Bobby Deol, who is in the lead role in the web-series Ashram, accusing them of hurting Hindu sentiments, eyewitnesses said.

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Talking to reporters, Bajrang Dal’s state convener Sushil Surhele said the activists of his organisation will not allow the shooting of ‘Ashram’ in Bhopal.

“Prakash Jha wrongly portrayed the arrangements in a Hindu ashram in its previous seasons by showing the exploitation of women by gurus. There have been ashrams in sanatan dharma since the past thousand years that played an important role in building social values. There is no truth in what has been shown in this web series,” he said.

“Will Jha dare to make such a web series on other religions”, he asked.

“We blackened the face of Prakash Jha and are searching for Bobby Deol, who should learn from his elder brother Sunny Deol (Bollywood actor and BJP MP), who has played roles in patriotic movies,” he added.

So far, no statement was issued on behalf of Prakash Jha.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irshad Wali said strict action will be taken against those involved in the incident.

“Three-four vehicles were damaged and we will identify the people involved in this ruckus. Action will be taken against such persons,” he said.

(PTI)