CBFC must ensure no film scene hurts religious sentiments: SGPC

Amid a controversy over the song of an upcoming movie Yaariyan 2, the SGPC Wednesday said the Central Board of Film Certification should ensure that films do not hurt sentiments of any religion.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the apex religious body of Sikhs, has taken strong objection to actor Meezaan Jafri allegedly wearing a 'kirpan' -- a symbol of Sikh faith -- in a song in the upcoming movie 'Yaariyan-2' and has also filed a complaint with the Amritsar Police Commissioner alleging hurt to religious sentiments. Though the film's directors claimed that the actor was wearing a 'khukri' (a curved knife) and not a 'kirpan' and that they have no intention to offend or disrespect any religious beliefs, the SGPC said ''we are not satisfied with your illogical clarification.'' In a statement on Wednesday, SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said there are several instances where films hurt the principles and lifestyle of Sikhs, but the Centre government never showed seriousness about such matters.

He accused the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) of not keeping the public's religious sentiments in mind while vetting the films for certificates.

It leads to ''arbitrary acts'' by filmmakers in the name of freedom of expression, he said.

Religious sentiments of the Sikhs were deliberately hurt in the 'Saure Ghar' song of Yaariyan 2 film and the government is still silent, he said.

The SGPC general secretary said although a legal action has been initiated against the ''anti-Sikh'', the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting should also take strict action in the matter.

He also demanded the inclusion of a representative from every religion in the CBFC so that no scene against the sentiments of any religion is made public.

In the past too, the SGPC passed several such resolutions in its general house meetings and sent them to the government of India, but received no positive response, he claimed. Grewal said even though BJP's national spokesperson RP Singh has strongly objected to the actor wearing a 'kirpan' in the song, it is not enough and he should also discuss it with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and other concerned ministers.

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