Bajrang Dal runs riot on sets of 'Ashram' web series for 'hurting Hindu sentiments'

Prakash Jha

The shooting of the third season of web series Ashram was halted after members of the Bajrang Dal allegedly ransacked the set and splashed ink on its producer-director Prakash Jha for "portraying Hindus wrongly".

According to reports, the incident took place in Bhopal, where members of the group hurled stones and broke the windscreens of two buses of the crew.

"All the miscreants have been shunned from the premises and no one has been fatally injured, though some vehicles have been damaged. Further action will be taken against those responsible," news agency ANI quoted Irshad Wali, Deputy Inspector General of Bhopal, as saying.

Madhya Pradesh | All the miscreants have been shunned from the premises & no one has been fatally injured, though some vehicles have been damaged. Further action will be taken against those responsible: Irshad Wali, DIG Bhopal on attacks at upcoming web series 'Ashram 3' sets pic.twitter.com/jiX9IbyWSh

— ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2021

Bajrang Dal has taken offence to the name of the web series Ashram. "We want the film industry to be promoted here (Bhopal). But this land should not be used to humiliate Hindu samaj. In the earlier series it was shown that women are exploited inside Ashram, is it so?" asked local Bajrang Dal leader Sushil Sudele.

He said that the group has given a warning by protesting at the sets. "Prakash Raj has said that he is in talks to change the show's title. I repeat the show's name will have to be changed from Ashram or won't be filmed here in Bhopal."

The Bajrang Dal activists raised slogans against Jha and Bollywood actor Bobby Deol, who is in the lead role in the web-series, accusing them of hurting the Hindu sentiments.