Time for Karan, Ajatshatru to take stringent action

Film maker Kapur denigrates Hari Singh

JAMMU, July 29: Film maker Shekhar Kapur has lowered his position in the eyes of the people by producing a nasty, anti-Maharaja Hari Singh and pro-Sheikh Abdullah serial "Pradhanmantri". It was expected that the serial would evoke a very strong reaction across Jammu province, the land of brave and chivalrous Dogras, who built the state of Jammu & Kashmir making supreme sacrifices, and it happened. The reaction was spontaneous and on expected lines. As soon as the ABP News started telecasting the serial, the shocked and dumbfounded people of Jammu rang up their friends to share their anger over what Shekhar Kapur tried to depict in his serial, which needed to be banned forth with.

What provoked one and all was the willful attempt of Shekhar Kapur to paint Maharaja Hari Singh black, communal, anti-India and what not and tell that Sheikh Abdullah was the most secular leader, who fought for India, worked against Pakistan, opposed the two-nation theory, worked for the well-being of the minority communities like Hindus and Sikhs and Christians and established unity among all the sections of society. Another thing that provoked and angered the people of Jammu province was the attempt of Shekhar Kapur to tell the world that Hari Singh was so communal that he did not make available employment opportunities to the Kashmiri Muslims, including Sheikh Abdullah, who did his MSC in Chemistry at Aligarh Muslim University with third division.

This part of the serial, which dealt with the circumstances under which the state acceded to India, was nothing but trash, an ugly attempt at denigrating Maharaja Hari Singh, whom the people across Jammu province hail as a great ruler, and misleading the public opinion. Earlier in 2002, NC leader Omar Abdullah had also denigrated Maharaja Hari Singh and other Dogra Maharajas while addressing election rallies in the Samba area completely overlooking the fact that Ajatshatru Singh, grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh, was a minister in Farooq Abdullah's government.

Enough is enough. Dr Karan Singh and Ajatshatru Singh must initiate action against Shekhar Kapur and the Channel which telecasted this dirty serial. They must remember that by denigrating Maharaja Hari Singh, Kapur has insulted the entire Dogra community and this is not acceptable. They have to respect the sentiments of the people of Jammu province by taking a stringent action against Kapur. The starting point could be a total ban on "Pradhanmantri".

Source: http://www.earlytimes.in