Anti-India Web Series: Govt Bans Pakistan-Based OTT Platform

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New Delhi: The Central government on Monday blocked the website, two mobile apps, four social media accounts and one smart TV app of Pakistan-based OTT platform Vidly TV.

The decision, under IT Rules 2021, was for showing anti-India content in its recently-released web series ‘Sevak: The Confessions.’

In its order, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I & B) stated that the web series aired on the OTT Platform was found to be “detrimental to national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, India’s friendly relations with foreign States, and public order in the country.”

The I & B ministry highlighted the following objectionable content in the web series:

* Opening credits of the web series show the Ashok Chakra of Indian flag on fire.

* The web series presents a distorted version of sensitive historical events pertaining to India. “Portrays anti-India narrative on subjects of national importance, like Operation Blue Star and its aftermath, demolition of Babri Masjid, killing of a Christian missionary Graham Staines, Malegaon blasts, Samjhauta Express blasts, inter-state river water dispute related to Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, etc.

* The OTT platform promotes hatred against government of India by highlighting dialogues on passing of wounds by Sikh people to next generations in the context of Operation Blue Star, Indian state being against interests of Muslim community, Indian political parties being hand-in-glove in the demolition of Babri Masjid.

* The web series promotes separatism, disaffection and disenchantment among Sikh community towards India. Operation Blue Star has been depicted as a ‘massacre’ of ‘innocent Sikhs’.

* The web series was intended to sow hatred and division among Indian communities. In one scene, a Hindu priestess is shown to be declaring that the Hindu children have to grow up to ‘kill’ Muslims, Christians and Sikhs, and cleanse the motherland from their ‘filthy’ existence, the government said.