Accusing a private television channel of attempting to change the country's history, a BJP member in the Rajya Sabha today demanded a ban on airing of TV serial "Jodha Akbar".
Raising the issue during Zero, Najma Heptulla (BJP) said the serial aired on Zee TV attempts to tinker with the history of the country, just as the British attempted to do so.
She said the serial "Jodha Akbar" projects Akbar as a tyrant who had forcibly kept 'Jodha' by making her helpless.
Appreciating the film with the same title earlier that promoted national integration, she said, the TV serial in question tries to change the history and would leave a bad impact on the minds of children.
"I expect a ban on the serial," she said, adding that it leaves a bad impression on children who watch it as they see it to be different than what they are taught in history books.
"There is need to send good messages through this powerful television media," Najma said as she named several other good TV serials depicting the lives of Shivaji, Maharana Pratap and Tipu Sultan.
"Is it not the responsibility of the government to ban it," she questioned, saying they attempt to change the history of the country.
Najma was supported by Shivanand Tewari (JD-U), who also demanded a ban on the serial and charged it with trying to change the history. Hussain Dalwai (Cong) also supported the demand.
Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) said, "We all respect the freedom of creativity, but as far as national icons are concerned, we all agree that their image should not be disturbed."
As many members supported the issue, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said, "I think government should have a mechanism to screen and scan all these things and see than nothing anti-national is shown."
This prompted Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla to say that he would convey the sentiments of members to the Information and Broadcasting Minister and request him to take necessary steps in this direction.
