Prayagraj: Prominent Hindu seer Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Thursday issued guidelines for filmmakers asking them to refrain from “criticising, disrespecting or ridiculing” Sanatan Dharma.
The seer had on January 3 constituted the ‘Dharma Censor Board’ to review Bollywood films and keep a check on any “anti-religious” content or distortion of facts about Sanatan Dharma.
Addressing newspersons at the ongoing Magh Mela here, Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati said the guidelines are being conveyed to all filmmakers and they are expected to no longer include scenes and dialogues “criticising, disrespecting or ridiculing Sanatan Dharma” in their films.
“The guidelines are based on the policy of ‘jhonko, toko and roko’ (talk, intervene, stop),” he said, adding that if the filmmakers do not pay heed, legal route will be adopted.
“A legal cell has also been created for this,” he said.
Talking about the Dharma Censor Board, Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati said, “Our experts will see a film when it is released and if we find it suitable for people belonging to Sanatan Dharma, we will issue a certificate.”
“At present, films passed by the censor board set up by the government have been found carrying scenes that hurt the sentiments of people. We have repeatedly asked for a religious person to be included in the censor board but this demand has not been accepted. This is why we had to constitute our own board,” he said.
Clarifying that the Dharma Censor Board “will act as an assistant to the censor board of the government”, the seer said, “We are not questioning their censor board.”
Shankaracharya’s media in-charge, Shailendra Yogi said the Dharma Censor Board will also ensure that film titles do not hurt religious sentiments of people or disrespect any deity or seers.
The work of this board will not be limited to films or serials, but also cover theatre productions in schools, colleges and universities, he said.
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