The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has 'advised' OTT platform Zee5 not to release its new docu-series 'Lawrence of Punjab'.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has 'advised' OTT platform Zee5 not to release its new docu-series 'Lawrence of Punjab' for the time being. Zee5 had announced to start showing the web-series from April 27, but now in view of the advisory order of the ministry, the series is sure to go on ice. According to a letter submitted by the ministry before a bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, 'Zee5 management has been told that the showing of the above series can incite violence and create a situation of unrest and lawlessness in Punjab and other places.
"It is better that this series is not shown." The above letter was submitted in the context of a public interest litigation filed in the High Court on Thursday. This petition was filed by Punjab Pradesh Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and in it, the High Court was requested to direct the Central Government, Punjab and other state governments to ban 'Lawrence of Punjab'. The petitioner argued that this series, which glorifies a gangster kingpin, can mislead the youth and can prove to be a platform for criminal elements.
Apart from Raja Warring, leaders of almost all the major political parties of Punjab (AAP, Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, BJP and BSP) have also been making statements in favour of banning the screening of this series. This statement has clearly created an atmosphere which could have become a breeding ground for unrest in the event of the screening of the web-series. In view of this situation, the 'consultative order' of the Government of India seems to be legally valid and correct.
However, despite such thinking, it is natural to ask the question whether it is right to raise a fuss or demand a ban on any film, web-series, documentary or book even before its formal release? Isn't such a ban a direct violation of the fundamental right to information and expression, which is an important part of the Indian Constitution and is also guaranteed under Article 21? According to the reactions of Zee5's management and the director of the web-series, Raghav Dar, the web series 'Lawrence of Punjab' does not glorify the character of Lawrence Bishnoi, but it is an examination and assessment of the entire ecosystem that has been the reason for the birth of gangsters from student politics. If the content of Zee5's series is truly like such a clarification, then no one should object to it. However, raising opinions and organizing protests against a film or web series based on its trailer does not seem justified in the interests of justice.
Well, now this matter is under consideration of the High Court, so it seems inappropriate to say much about it. 33-year-old Lawrence Bishnoi is currently in Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat. More than 40 cases are registered against him. Apart from India, Canada-America and many countries in Europe as well as almost all countries in Southeast Asia have been considering him as a dangerous criminal or terrorist. The number of members of his global network is believed to be 400-500.
Despite being in jail for more than half a decade, it has become a trend that Lawrence Bishnoi is being named the mastermind of some major criminal act every third or fourth day. Critics of the Narendra Modi government blame Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for Lawrence's rise as a criminal kingpin. They argue that the entire phenomenon related to Lawrence is part of a conspiracy to create a 'Hindu Dawood Ibrahim'. All these aspects should be brought before the common people; not for the sake of image-building (or glorification) but with the aim and thunder of bringing the truth to the fore. However, the 'consultative order' of the central government has become a major obstacle to such efforts for some time. This is both the truth and the tragedy of our time.
