MUMBAI, Nov 3: The Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his mega television show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” have been hit by a controversy for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus and create rift with Buddhists.
A Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Maharashtra state Assembly from Latur, Abhimanyu Pawar has filed a complaint with the Latur police against Bachchan and Sony Entertainment Television, the maker of the KBC, for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments.
Pawar said during the current season 12 of the KBC, its anchor Bachchan asked such a question in its show telecast on Friday which “insult the Hindus and create discord between Hindus and Buddhists who have been living in harmony.” Pawar gave the information about his police complaint through a Twitter message and posting a copy of his two-page letter to the police. He demanded action against Bachchan and Sony.
The episode in question had social activist Bezwada Wilson and actor Anup Soni in the hot seat opposite Bachchan, who asked the following question, worth Rs 6.40 lakh:
“On 25th December 1927, Dr B R Ambedkar and his followers burned copies of which scripture?
The options were: (A) Vishnu Purana (B) Bhagavad Gita, (C) Rigved and (D) Manusmriti.
Bachchan then said, “In 1927, Ambedkar condemned the ancient Hindu text Manusmriti to ideologically justify caste discrimination and untouchability and burned its copies.”
“All the four options pertained to Hindu religion. It is clear that the motive behind this question was to hurt the sentiments of Hindus,” Pawar said in his police complaint.
“This question spreads the message that Hindu religious scriptures are meant for burning and triggers enmity between Hindus and followers of Buddhism,” said Pawar, a close aide of former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
(Manas Dasgupta)