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Pleas Against ‘Sacred Games’ An Attempt To Muzzle Free Speech? 

‘Sacred Games’ continues to ruffle feathers. Is freedom of expression under threat once again? 

Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan star in Netflix’s ‘Sacred Games’. (Source: Sacred Games’ Twitter Handle)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan star in Netflix’s ‘Sacred Games’. (Source: Sacred Games’ Twitter Handle)

Derogatory comments directed against a country’s former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee is an insult the entire nation, according to Mumbai Congress leader and President of All India Cine Workers Association, Suresh Shyamal Gupta.

Gupta was referring to certain scenes from the Netflix series Sacred Games which are allegedly inappropriate and derogatory in nature and harms the reputation of late Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. A plea seeking the removal of these scenes which were inappropriate and derogatory in nature, was filed in the Delhi High Court earlier today. The plea was filed by advocate Nikhil Bhalla and the court is scheduled to hear the matter on Monday.

The Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Netflix series “incorrectly depicts historical events of the country like the Bofors case, Shah Bano case, Babri Masjid case and communal riots”, Bhalla said.

Delhi High Court Advocate Satyajit Sarna disagreed, saying only a member of the Gandhi family is eligible to file a complaint of defamation. In fact, a deceased person cannot be defamed as per the law, added Sarna.

Gupta has filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police on the matter while a member of the West Bengal Congress also filed a complaint with the Kolkata Police in an attempt to block out the same allegedly offensive scenes from the series.

Watch the full debate with Tamanna Inamdar, Suresh Shyamal Gupta, President, All India Cine Workers Association and Satyajit Sarna, advocate, Delhi High Court.