The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the apex body for child rights in the country, has asked Netflix to stop streaming the web series ‘Bombay Begums’, citing inappropriate portrayal of children in the series.
NCPCR has made it very clear that the OTT platform must furnish a detailed action report within 24 hours and that failing to deliver would lead to the initiation of appropriate legal action. The apex child protection body has raised strong objecting with regards to the alleged inappropriate portrayal of children in the series.
The commission took action based on a complaint that alleged that the series normalises minors indulging in casual sex and drug abuse.
Last year, Netflix had faced similar criticism from its subscribers for the sexualisation of young girls in the film ‘Cuties’. The film portrayed 11-year old girls twerking, while inappropriately dressed.
The commission, in its notice, said that the content of the web series is not suitable for young minds. The show will not only pollute the minds of young children, but may also result in the abuse and exploitation of children, the NCPCR said.
The @NCPCR_ issued notice to @netflix and ordered it to stop streaming #BombayBegums within 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/mHoI6gC18V
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) March 12, 2021
“Netflix should take extra precaution while streaming any content in respect of the children or for the children and shall also refrain themselves from getting into such things,” the commission said in its notice.
From normalisation of minors indulging in casual sex we now have web series showing minors having Cocaine.
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) March 10, 2021
Screengrab from #BombayBegums where a 13yr old is snorting coke as the party she goes to is all about alcohol, drugs.
Sink it in. pic.twitter.com/RXOyq1GaJS
“Therefore, you are directed to look into this matter and immediately stop streaming of this series and furnish a detailed action report within 24 hours, failing which the Commission will be constrained to initiate appropriate action pursuant to the provisions of Section 14 of the CPCR (Commission for Protection of Child Rights) Act, 2005,” the commission said.
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