Tighten Laws To Classify Production Of Sexually Perverted Content As Anti National Activity: Uday Mahurkar

The Save Culture Save Bharat Foundation (SCSBF) has suggested that the government classify and treat the production of sexually perverted and incestuous content on all OTT platforms as Anti-National Activity.

The foundation demanded a complete ban on sexually perverted content as in Dubai and suggested that a Law of Ethics Code be established that would deem the production or beaming of sexually perverted content on all audio-video (AV) platforms as anti-national activity. It also demanded that violation of the Code be treated as abetment to rape with a sentence of 10 to 20 years if convicted & no bail for 3 years & summary trial in 4 months. The SCSBF further suggested an immediate amendment to the IT Act to put all such content in one group and make it accessible through Aadhaar card or fingerprint or both.

The foundation, in association with Gems Of Bollywood, has also released a detailed White Paper titled ‘OTT Objectionable Content Research’ addressing the misdemeanours of Over-The-Top (OTT) content and specific instances of objectionable content within popular films and series across major OTT platforms such as Netflix, AltBalaji, SonyLiv, Disney+ Hotstar, Ullu, MX Player, and Amazon Prime Video.

The demands were made during a Press Conference organised by the SCSB Foundation in the presence of Shri Uday Mahurkar, Former Central Information Commissioner; Satguru Riteshwar Ji Maharaj, Prasthapak, Shri Anandam Dham Vrindavan; Paramatmanand ji Saraswati, Sanyojak, Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha; Supreme Court Advocate Sushri Monika Arora; Social activist and lawyer Shri Hari Shankar Jain; Shri Sanjeev Newar, author-activist and founder of Gems of Bollywood; and Sushri Swati Goel Sharma, journalist and founder of Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation, among others.

The SCSBF foundation advocates for specific limits on themes, scenes, language and clothing in audio-visual content across all platforms to ensure responsible content creation. The Foundation argued that such content poses a greater threat to Bharat's culture than past foreign invasions. The White Report was released on the occasion of SCSBF’s first anniversary, in collaboration with influential figures from Bollywood and its dedicated research team.

The detailed study includes various instances wherein rapists confessed that they were influenced by sexually explicit content they saw on OTT and other platforms. One instance cites that in Dungarpur district, the principal of a school committed heinous acts by sexually assaulting 8 schoolgirls over the course of a year. Upon his arrest, he admitted to being influenced by sexually explicit content he received on his smartphone.

Web series XXX on Alt Balaji portrays a male engaging in intimate relations with his grandmother, sisters-in-law, and stepmother. Shockingly, the four women are depicted welcoming the male actor by performing Aarti.

Fuelled by the proliferation of uncensored perverted content on OTT platforms, approximately 500 apps have emerged, showcasing similar content depicting incestuous relationships, especially in the country’s majority Hindu community.

Expressing the Foundation's steadfast commitment to instigate positive societal transformation, Shri Uday Mahurkar, Founder of Save Culture Save Bharat Foundation, unveiled a comprehensive 'report card' delineating the groundbreaking accomplishments of the organisation.

Shri Uday Mahurkar, Founder of SCSBF and a noted author and former Central Information Commissioner said, “The foundation is appalled at content that glorifies inappropriate and incestuous relationships, such as those between father-in-law and daughter-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, student and teacher, and even grandson and grandmother. Such contents are detrimental to the very fabric of our nation's social integrity. We demand exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of such vulgar content so that the trend to present adult content and double-meaning audiovisuals in the name of entertainment stops immediately. We want to warn these culture-defying conspirators that their days of impunity and immunity are over and they will now be held accountable for the heinous content they produce and for polluting our children’s minds.”

Shri Mahurkar expressed confidence that India will undoubtedly attain its objectives of becoming an economic, military and scientific powerhouse by 2047. However, the crucial question is whether India can evolve into a culturally upright nation.

“The path to greatness for India and its aspiration to be a Vishwaguru hinges on addressing the issue of sexually explicit content, which poses a significant threat to our societal cohesion and stands as the foremost challenge for the new Bharat,” Shri Mahurkar added.

Satguru Riteshwar Ji Maharaj said, "In disguise of entertainment, we are seeing that a lot of anti-India forces are spreading vulgar content on the internet. This is nothing but waging a cultural war against our values. Showcasing incestuous content goes unchecked and the people behind such content are immune. We need stringent laws right now before they succeed in invading our civilisation.”

Padma Shree Nivedita Bhide said, "We need to stop letting these anti-social and anti-India elements take advantage of our tolerance and relaxed norms governing the OTT space in India. The proposed Law of Ethics Code is a crucial step toward safeguarding our cultural heritage and ensuring responsible content creation in the digital age." Shri Sanjeev Newar, Founder Gems of Bollywood, said, "Media holds immense power to shape societal narratives. The Foundation's initiatives underscore the need for conscientious media practices and responsible storytelling that contribute positively to our cultural tapestry."

Sushri Swati Goel Sharma, Founder, Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation, said, "The impact of content on societal values cannot be overstated. The propagation of perverted content on OTT platforms is solely designed to break and invade our culture and society through the backdoor and this needs to be dealt with a firm hand.”

SCSBF has achieved significant milestones during its inaugural year, garnering global recognition through its mission mode campaign highlighted by the release of the Toolkit on Cyber Education and Cyber Awareness of Children and Youth at the G20 meet in Delhi. The Foundation's evidentiary research, featuring peer-reviewed studies, established a crucial correlation between sexually perverted content and the alarming rise in rape cases in the country. Additionally, the production and release of impactful short films, 'Ek Ladki' and 'Kripya Dhyan Den,' shed light on the profound implications of perverted content on vulnerable youth, especially girls. The Foundation successfully garnered support for its cause from esteemed personalities, including RSS chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat and revered saints such as Swami Ramdev and Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Engaging with authorities, the Foundation brought the issue to the attention of Union Ministers, UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath, and former Lok Sabha speaker Smt Sumitra Mahajan.

Save Culture Save Bharat Foundation urged citizens, policymakers, and influencers to join their national movement against sexually perverted content. The Foundation emphasised the need for collective efforts to address the cultural decay caused by inappropriate content and positioned it with the same gravity and importance as India’s freedom movement.