Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah Sparks Demand For Ban After Allegedly 'Hurting Religious Sentiments'

New Delhi: The much loved sit-com Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is the new television show that has been named to be banned by a certain organisation of the Sikh community. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee or SGPC asked that the show be banned immediately for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with the content featured on one of its recent episodes, reported news agency PTI. SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar particularly objected to a reference to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, saying the content was "blasphemous," reported PTI. On their part, the makers have clarified that Gurucharan Singh Sodhi represented Guru Gobind Singh Ji Ka Khalsa and not the tenth Sikh Guru on the show.

The allegedly controversial content aired on the September 8 episode and the religious organisation's objection to the show stems from the fact that a form of Guru Gobind Singh was allegedly enacted on screen, which is "against the Sikh tenets". "No actor or any character can equate himself with the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. Such an act is unpardonable," the SGPC chief had told the press, reported PTI.

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah quickly resorted to a clarification, tweeting: "In Episode 2287 of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Sodhi was dressed up as Guru Gobind Singh Ji ka Khalsa. We request viewers to not misinterpret it in any other way."
 

In Episode 2287 of TMKOC, Sodhi was dressed up as Guru Gobind Singh Ji ka Khalsa. We request viewers to not misinterpret it in any other way pic.twitter.com/MhNnqg8gJl

— TMKOC (@TMKOC_NTF) September 15, 2017

Munmun Dutta, who features as Babita Krishnan Iyer in the show, told Bollywood Life: "I clearly remember having a conversation with him (Mr Sodhi) about this particular sequence on the day of the shoot and he had mentioned that nobody is allowed to play Guru Gobind Singh ji and thus he is enacting the role of his Khalsa. And that's exactly what we shot and showed on TV."

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, which completed nine years earlier this year, also stars Dilip Joshi as Jethalal Champaklal Gada, Bhavya Gandhi as Tipendra Gada and Shailesh Lodha in the titular role.

(With PTI inputs)