Delhi, UP Police Register FIR Against Controversial Film Poster, Canada Indian High Commission Gets Involved
Delhi, UP Police Register FIR Against Controversial Film Poster, Canada Indian High Commission Gets Involved
The poster of the documentary film 'Kaali' depicting Hindu goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette has sparked outrage on social media. The controversy erupted after the film director Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of her film on social media.
The poster also shows the Hindu goddess-like figure holding the LGBTQ community's flag. The social media users have complained about the filmmaker hurting their religious sentiments through the depiction of the goddess, and are demanding that poster should be taken down.
The Uttar Pradesh police have registered an FIR on charges of criminal conspiracy, offence in place of worship, deliberately hurting religious sentiments, and intention to provoke breach of peace against the filmmaker for the disrespectful depiction of the goddess.
This was followed by the Delhi police IFSO unit registering an FIR under Sections 153A and 295A IPC regarding the controversial poster of the film Kaali.
The film was launched as a part of the "Rhythms of Canada" segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada. The Indian High Commission in Canada had issued a statement on the poster of the film and had urged the organizers of the film festival to withdraw 'all such provocative material.' Several Hindu groups had approached the authorities in Canada to take action.
Yesterday, Delhi High Court Advocate Samiksha Mittal had filed a complaint with Twitter regarding the tweet by the filmmaker on July 2nd when she shared the poster of the film through her Twitter handle. As per the complainant, goddess Kaali has been depicted in a manner that has hurt her sentiments.
The Advocate wrote in her complaint that the manner in which Twitter user Leena has shown her Maa Kaali has hurt her religious sentiments. She also wrote that such kind of media on Twitter's platform is hurting the sentiments of many devotees.
In her complaint, she had requested Twitter Inc. to take down the tweet by Director Leena. She has also requested to take further action against the user as per Rule 3(2) of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Leena Manimekalai is a Toronto-based filmmaker who has given interviews to Indian media outlets after the issue flared up, criticizing the alleged "bigotry" and "hate".
