FIR against Prakash jha for ‘caste discrimination’ in Ashram web series

The complainant claims that due to “poor and loathsome” portrayal through social sites and web series, incidents like molestation and lynching are taking place during the marriage processions of SC/ST communities in western Rajasthan.

A case has been registered at Luni police station in Jodhpur Rural against filmmaker Prakash Jha for allegedly hurting the sentiments of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and for alleged insults hurled at the community in the web series 'Aashram', produced by him.

Prakash Jha and Bobby Deol on the set of Aashram.

“The first episode of the first part of the Aashram web series addressed the caste-specific (term) Harijan and (used) disrespectful words while promoting caste discrimination, by classifying castes as lower and upper, during a scene of marriage. In one scene, the upper caste people are shown abusing and assaulting the people of alleged lower castes, promoting discrimination and untouchability,” said the complainant, DR Meghwal.

The complainant added that due to such “poor and loathsome” portrayal through social sites and web series, incidents like molestation and lynching are taking place during the marriage processions of SC/ST communities in western Rajasthan.

“The web series has spoiled mutual harmony with use of hateful words and by hurting mutual affection and brotherhood in the name of caste and religion. This is a criminal act. Such acts spread disharmony between two classes,” the complainant said in the FIR.

Luni station house officer Sita Ram said that an FIR under relevant sections of the SC/ST Act had been registered and a probe into the allegations has begun.

Aashram is a Hindi-language crime drama web series, directed and produced by Prakash Jha. The series stars Bobby Deol along with others.