Saints In UP Set Up 'Dharam Censor Board' To Monitor Film Content

Saints at the 'Magh Mela' in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj have set up a 'dharam (religion) censor board' that will now check insult of Hindu deities and culture in films, documentaries, web series and other mediums of entertainment.

A 10-member censor board has been constituted under the chairmanship of Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati to check defamation of Hindu traditions.

The board's guidelines, released on Thursday, will screen entertainment content on the pattern of the Censor Board.

Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati said that many veterans associated with religion and culture had been included in this board. At present, he himself was handling the responsibility of the chairman of this board.

He added that this board would act as a guide to prevent any filming or broadcast of a video or audio insulting Hindu gods and goddesses or cursing the culture.

Steps would be taken through the board to stop the production of films that insulted Hindu deities. He said that production of films, series and serials distorting Sanatan culture for cheap popularity would not be tolerated.

He added that it had been created to help the censor board and the government. The board would contact all the filmmakers and directors making serials and web series and inform them in this regard. Despite this, if films and serials were produced that were "anti-Hindu" and hurt the faith, then an appeal would be made to the Hindu society to not watch them.

Along with this, if needed, protest would also be lodged through different mediums, he said.