Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav has levelled serious allegations against the BJP, stating that the party has consistently conspired to misuse certain individuals from a community against that very community.
He said the BJP indulges in politics of targeting, humiliating, and falsely accusing specific communities. The SP president was commenting on the controversy surrounding an OTT series, without naming the film, here on Saturday.
Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP promotes such conspiracies through inflammatory statements, issuing notices related to meetings, and using its financial power to produce advertisements, promotional material, or films.
When controversies arise from these activities, he said, the BJP changes its stance like a chameleon and pretends to take action while shedding crocodile tears. In reality, he added, the party secretly rejoices at the humiliation and oppression of the targeted community.
He said it is not even possible to name the film currently embroiled in controversy, as its title is not only objectionable but also extremely insulting. Writing the name of the film, he asserted, would further serve the BJP’s objective of showing contempt for that community. He clarified that even releasing such a film under a changed name should not be acceptable.
The SP president said that unless the producers involved in such acts suffer financial losses, such films will continue to be made. Those who promote the BJP’s agenda out of greed for money, he said, are—like the BJP itself—loyal only to money and nothing else. He maintained that this issue is not about a violation of “creative freedom” or “creative liberty,” but rather about “creative understanding” and “creative prudence.”
Akhilesh Yadav further said that a film which hurts the sentiments of a particular community or group due to prejudice and as part of a pre-planned conspiracy cannot be termed entertainment. If the objective is not entertainment, he argued, then the hidden agenda behind defaming a community must be exposed, along with the identities of those funding and supporting such destructive activities that damage social harmony.
He said that if “creative freedom” deliberately infringes upon someone’s dignity and reputation, then imposing a complete ban on such malicious creativity cannot be considered a violation of creativity itself. Freedom of expression, he added, is acceptable only so long as it does not harm the honour and human dignity of others.
Yadav said that cinema is considered a mirror of society, but this mirror should not be tarnished or sullied.