BJP MP Raju Bista of Darjeeling wrote to the Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar to take action against the online Web Series ‘Paatal Lok’, currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
The Gorkha community spread across the globe also expressed their displeasure over the dialogue used in the series and filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission.
“On the 17th of May, a horrendous clip from an online Web Series #PaatalLok was brought to my notice, where one of the characters is shown making the most demeaning and derogatory remarks against the women from Nepali community. I was shocked and enraged,” the MP took to Twitter.
Bista urged the I&B Minister to take cognizance of the “racist show”, and take necessary action as per law against those involved.
On the 17th of May itself, I had written to Hon’ble @MIB_India @PrakashJavdekar ji, requesting him to take cognizance of this racist show, and take necessary action as per law against those involved.
— Raju Bista (@RajuBistaBJP) May 23, 2020
Bista highly condemned the use of objectionable words used regarding a Nepali women in the web series.
In a tweet, the MP identified himself as an Indian Gorkha and that Nepali language is my mother tongue along with the rest of the 1.5 crore Indians. “When someone uses such unacceptable terms to define our women or a woman who looks like one of us, it not only slanders our community, but it also adds to the stereotype of every woman with mongoloid feature as being of lose character,” he further added.
but it also adds to the stereotype of every woman with mongoloid feature as being of lose character.
For decades Bollywood has stigmatized communities, stereotyped them and left a very negative and lasting impression about certain sections of the population.
— Raju Bista (@RajuBistaBJP) May 23, 2020
He also accused Bollywood of stigmatising communities, ‘stereotyped them’ and leave a ‘very negative and lasting impression about certain sections of the population’ for decades.
GTA Chairman Anit Thapa too condemned in a statement against the web series and stated that it “portrays the Gorkha community as Chinese as an instance of racism. I demand that the dialogue be erased from the series.”