A Bharatiya Janata Party MLA in Maharashtra on Tuesday filed a first information report against actor Amitabh Bachchan and the makers of television quiz-based show Kaun Banega Crorepati for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments, PTI reported.

In his complaint, Abhimanyu Pawar, BJP legislator from Ausa in Latur district, said action should be taken against Bachchan and Sony Entertainment Television, the makers of Kaun Banega Crorepati, for a question about religious text Manusmriti on October 30.

“There was an attempt to insult Hindus and create discord between Hindus and Buddhists who have been living in harmony,” Pawar, a close aide of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, tweeted.

Bachchan, the host of the show, had asked contestants activist Bezwada Wilson and actor Anup Soni: “On 25th December 1927, Dr BR Ambedkar and his followers burned copies of which scripture?”

Advertisement

The options given to the contestants were: Vishnu Purana, Bhagavad Gita, Rigved and Manusmriti.

Bachchan said the answer was Manusmriti and then explained Ambedkar’s actions. “In 1927, Ambedkar condemned the ancient Hindu text Manusmriti to ideologically justify caste discrimination and untouchability and burned its copies.”

In the complaint, the BJP MLA said that all the four options of the question pertained to the Hindu religion. “It is clear that the motive behind this question was to hurt the sentiments of Hindus,” he alleged.

Advertisement

“This question spreads the message that Hindu religious scriptures are meant for burning and triggers enmity between Hindus and followers of Buddhism,” Pawar claimed.

Many social media users accused the show of running a “leftist propaganda”, while others said it hurt Hindu sentiments. Some even called for boycotting the show.

On October 31, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri said on Twitter that the show was hijacked by communists. “Innocent kids, learn this is how cultural wars are win,” he tweeted. “It’s called coding.”