Neltflix's Sacred Games: Another Congressman files complaint against Nawazuddin Siddiqui for allegedly insulting former PM Rajiv Gandhi

After a Congress worker from West Bengal, Rajeev Kumar Sinha, filed a complaint against Netflix India’s popular show ‘Sacred Games’, another complaint by the Congress has been filed against the show. The complaint has been lodged against Netflix, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, producers of the show others for "insulting former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi".

The complaint has been lodged by the President of All Indian Cine Worker’s Association (AICWA), Er Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, who is also the Mumbai president of the Youth Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC). INTUC is the trade union wing of the Indian National Congress.

In the complaint letter written to the Additional Commissioner of Police, Gupta pointed at a particular scene which is allegedly defamatory to the late Prime Minister. “A serial called SACRED GAMES which has started on Netflix contains a scene from 4th episode of the said serial in which lead actor of the serial Nawazuddin Siddiqui is seen abusing out Late Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi ji.”

The Congress leader also alleged the decision taken by Rajiv Gandhi in the Shah Bano case has been shown in “bad light disregarding the Parliament’s decision”.  Gupta also accused the show of maligning the image of the former Prime Minister.

Suresh Shyamlal Gupta has asked the Mumbai police to take consider his letter as a formal complaint and also lodge an FIR against “Netflix Production House, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, director Anurag Kashyap, Vikhramaditya Motwane and the Producers of serial SACRED GAMES under appropriate sections of IT Act and Indian Penal code.

This comes a day after a plea was filed in the Delhi High Court, seeking the editing and deletion of certain scenes from the Netflix's 'India Original' series 'Sacred Games' on the premise that the Saif Ali Khan-starrer is derogatory to former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi. The petition has been submitted before a bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar. The petitioner in the case has identified himself as Tariq and claims he is a member and supporter of the Indian National Congress. On Thursday the Delhi High Court adjourned the hearing in the case till Monday.

Prior to this, a Congress party member from Kolkata had filed a complaint against the web-series. Rajeev Kumar Sinha, who contested on a Congress ticket in the past, used his official letterhead and stamp to shoot off a letter to the Commissioner of Police and the Joint Commissioner of Police Lalbazar Kolkata. The complaint letter was also sent to the Deputy Commissioner of Police Central Division.

‘Sacred Games’, a Netflix India Original show, which has gone viral across for its gripping content, was released on the online viewing platform on July 6. The show, which is based on author Vikram Chandra’s thriller novel from 2006 by the same name, features Saif Ali Khan, Radhika Apte and Nawazuddin Siddiqui among others in pivotal roles.