Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.TWO DAYS after Punjab government ordered a ban on cable telecast of TV series Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush, the Punjab and Haryana High Court refused to stay the ban order but agreed to hear the petition filed by Colors TV, which has offered to delete the scenes which allegedly portray sage Valmiki in objectionable light.
During the hearing of a petition filed by Colors TV, a single bench of the High Court asked Additional Advocate General Rameeza Hakeem to take instructions in the matter and on the offer made by producers to delete the scenes in question. The government counsel submitted that the offer would be considered by the state government, whose response would be submitted on the next date of hearing.
Various district commissioners, in their capacity as district magistrates, have ordered a ban on the telecast of the show following a directive from CM Captain Amarinder Singh. Arguing the case on behalf of the Punjab government, Additional Advocate General Rameeza Hakeem said the decision to ban the serial had been taken on the ground that “Valmiki ji had been portrayed in a negative light, hurting the religious and other sentiments of the Valmiki community in the state”.
In the plea filed through advocate Abhinav Sood, Colors TV contended that the ban orders had been passed without adhering to the principles of natural justice, and without following Section 19 of the Cable Operators Regulation Act. The channel also placed on record an offer from the producers of the serial to enter a dialogue with the Secretary Home to discuss the contentious scenes.
The TV serial has sparked protests among the Valmiki community in Punjab. Endorsing their sentiments, the CM had also written to Centre to instruct direct-to-home channels to stop telecast of the serial, a spokesperson of the Punjab government said.
