After IC-814 Web Series Controversy, I&B Ministry Tells Netflix to Keep Religious Sentiments in Mind

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) on Monday (September 2) summoned representatives of Netflix over the controversy surrounding the web series IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack.

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The controversy is over “Hindu names” used as aliases by the Pakistani terrorists involved in the 1999 hijacking, which led to Netflix representatives being summoned, reported The Indian Express.

The series, which started streaming on Netflix from August 29, shows the five hijackers of the Indian Airlines flight addressing each other using code names – Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola and Shankar.

According to a Home Ministry statement from January 6, 2000, these were indeed the code names that were used by the hijackers who were from the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen terror group.

Among those who have objected to the use of the aliases Shankar and Bhola are several BJP leaders.

Sources in the I&B Ministry old The Indian Express that it was conveyed to Netflix representatives that they must keep religious sentiments and sensitivities of the public in mind.

Netflix representatives have been asked by the I&B Ministry to douse the controversy surrounding the series.