Netflix’s new web series ‘IC 814’ is in discussions and controversies these days. While this web series of director Anubhav Sinha is getting praise from the public on one hand, there is also controversy about the show. Now a big twist has come in this controversy. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India has summoned the content head of Netflix in Delhi.
Official sources said the ministry summoned the content head of Netflix India on Tuesday and sought clarifications from him on the alleged controversial aspects of ‘IC 814’.
Many people are accusing ‘IC 814’ of trying to hide the real names of terrorists. People are protesting against the show and posting on social media with the hashtag boycott Netflix-Bollywood.
What is the controversy?
Director Anubhav Sinha’s Netflix show ‘IC 814’ is based on a real incident that happened in December 1999. Indian Airlines flight number IC 814, flying from Kathmandu, Nepal to New Delhi, was hijacked by terrorists. This aircraft was taken to Kandahar, Afghanistan via different places.
In the negotiations, the Indian government had to accept the demands of the terrorists in exchange for the lives of its passengers. One of the demands was to release three terrorists – Maulana Masood Azhar, Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar who were in Indian jails at that time. Since their release till date, these three have been a major factor behind the terrorist incidents happening in India.
In the show ‘IC 814’, the hijackers are seen using code names instead of their real names during the entire incident. These names are – Burger, Chief, Shankar and Bhola. People on social media are alleging that this is an attempt to hide the real names of the terrorists. The show and director Anubhav Sinha are being opposed for this, people are also posting with the hashtag boycotting Netflix and Bollywood.
What are the facts?
According to a statement issued by the Union Home Ministry on January 6, 2000, the real names of the kidnappers were:
-Ibrahim Athar, Bahawalpur
-Shahid Akhtar Saeed, Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi
-Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Defence Area, Karachi
-Mistry Zahoor Ibrahim, Akhtar Colony, Karachi
-Shakir, Sukkur City
The MEA release states that for the passengers on board the hijacked aircraft, the hijackers had given themselves codenames – Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola and Shankar. These were the names they used to call each other during the hijacking.
Who said what on the controversy?
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya has also posted on social media regarding the controversy related to ‘IC 814’. He wrote on the social media platform X that the hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists who had kept aliases to hide their Muslim identity. He said, ‘Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has legitimized their criminal intentions by promoting their non-Muslim names.’ Amit said that by doing this, ‘decades later people will think that Hindus had hijacked IC-814.’
Amit further said, ‘The Left’s agenda of whitewashing the crimes of Pakistani terrorists, all Muslims has been accomplished. This is the power of cinema, which the Communists have been using very aggressively since the 70s. Maybe even before that. This will not only weaken/question India’s security system, but will also eliminate the blame from the religious group that is responsible for all the bloodshed.’
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on X, “It is very interesting to see people who believed films like Kashmir Files to be God’s truth, getting angry at the way events were portrayed in the Netflix show ‘IC 814’. Now suddenly they want accuracy and detail in the script too.”
Kangana upset with ‘Emergency’ getting delayed, angry at OTT’s freedom
Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut’s film ‘Emergency’ was scheduled to release in theatres on 6 September. After a controversy broke out over the film, the censor board withdrew the film’s certificate and now the film has been postponed once again.
‘Emergency’ lead actress-director-producer and BJP MP Kangana, while indirectly referring to her film getting stalled, commented on the ‘IC 814’ controversy and questioned the freedom of OTT platforms.
Kangana wrote on X, ‘The law of the country is that on OTT platforms, people can show violence and nudity to an extent that no one would have imagined, without any censorship or hassle. People can manipulate real life events to suit their politically motivated sinister intentions. Communists and leftists around the world have complete freedom for such treasonous expressions but as a nationalist, no OTT platform will allow us to make films that show the unity and integrity of India.’
In her post, Kangana further said, ‘It seems that censorship is only for a few of us who do not want to divide this country and make films on historical facts. This is extremely disappointing and unjust.’
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)