'Sowing Hatred, Division': I&B Ministry 'Switches Off' Pakistan-based OTT Platform Vidly TV in India

The union ministry of information and broadcasting on Monday ordered the blocking of the website, two mobile applications, four social media accounts, and a smart TV app of Pakistan-based OTT platform Vidly TV.

The instructions were issued under the IT Rules 2021.

The OTT platform recently released a web series titled “Sevak: The Confessions”.

“The web-series portrayed an anti-India narrative on sensitive historical events and subjects of national importance, e.g. Operation Blue Star and its aftermath, demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya, killing of a Christian missionary named Graham Staines, Malegaon blasts, Samjhauta Express blasts, inter-state river water dispute related to Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, etc,” the ministry said.

The order says that the opening credits of the web series show the Ashok Chakra of the Indian flag on fire, and that it presents a distorted version of sensitive historical events pertaining to India.

The first episode of the series was released on November 26, the anniversary of the terror attacks on Mumbai in 2008.

According to the order, the web series was intended to sow hatred and division among Indian communities.

“In one scene, a Hindu priestess is shown to be declaring that the Hindu children have to grow up to ‘kill’ Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs, and cleanse the motherland from their ‘filthy’ existence,” the government said.

There is a claim that Scheduled Castes are compelled to remain Hindus in another scene. It was demonstrated that Hindus attacked Sikhs during the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 by abusing religious symbols.

In June last year, India banned 59 Chinese mobile applications including the widely-used social media platforms such as TikTok, WeChat, and Helo keeping in view the threat to the nation’s sovereignty and security.

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