Chandigarh, September 9: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday refused to stay the ban on telecast of the television series “Ram Siya ke Luv Kush”, imposed by DCs across Punjab on Saturday on the directives of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Till the court hears the matter again on September 12, the ban on the telecast of the controversial serial will stay.
During a special hearing fixed on a petition of Colors TV channel, Justice TS Dhindsa declined to grant stay orders passed by the various District Commissioners in their capacity as District Magistrates.
Arguing the case on behalf of the Punjab Government, Additional Advocate General Rameeza Hakeem said the decision to ban the telecast of the serial had been taken on the ground that Saint Valmiki ji had been portrayed in a negative light, hurting the religious and other sentiments of the Valmiki community in the state.
Colors TV, however, contended that the ban orders had been passed without adhering to the principles of the Cable Operators Regulation Act. The channel also placed on record an offer from the producers of the serial to enter into a dialogue with the Secretary Home to discuss the contentious scenes and delete the scenes “objectionable scenes”.
The Court called upon the Additional Advocate General to take instructions in the matter, especially on the offer made by the producers to delete the scenes in question. Rameeza later said the offer would be considered by the state government, whose response would be submitted before the court on the next date of hearing.
On Saturday, Capt Amarinder Singh had ordered immediate ban by the respective DCs on the telecast of ‘Ram-Siya Ke Luv-Kush’, which had sparked protests among the Valmiki community.
Endorsing the religious sentiments of the Valmiki community on the issue, the Chief Minister had also written to the Government of India to instruct the direct-to-home channels to stop telecast of the serial.
