New York, March 06: A large number of Hindu Americans expressed their irritation against CNN Chanel for airing a show which they alleged that it portrays Hinduism in a negative light.
‘Believer with Reza Aslan’, a 6-episode “spiritual adventures series”, was premiered yesterday. The show explores the facts and myths behind the Aghori, a mystical Hindu sect known for exceptional rituals.
The CNN show explores the facts and myths behind the Aghori, a mystical Hindu sect known for exceptional rituals.
Eminent Indian-American and a top supporter of the US President Donald Trump Shalabh Kumar, said, “this is a disgusting attack against Hinduism.”
In a tweet, Shalabh Kumar said, “Hinduism has been attacked because a large number of Hindu Americans supported Donald Trump during the US President election campaign.”
“I condemn @rezaaslan, CNN for airing Believer with fiction. Disgusting attack on Hindus for supporting @POTUS @stephenkbannon @newtgingrich,” Shalabh Kumar, also the founder of Republican Hindu Coalition said in a tweet.
A large number of individuals and organisations joined him against on the CNN show.
“When we are witnessing intolerant attacks on minorities, telecasting this show will add more misrepresentation, bias and may lead more xenophobic crimes,” said Khanderao Kand, a society leader who had initiated efforts to reduce misrepresentation of Hinduism in California textbooks in 2004.
“With multiple reports of hate-fuelled attacks against people of Indian origin from across the United States, the show characterises Hinduism as cannibalistic, which is a peculiar way of looking at the third largest religion in the world,” United States-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) said in a statement.
It urged the American based TV Chanel CNN to stop the show from being aired at the night.
“We are very depressed. This is an issue that is of deep concern to the Indian-American community evidenced by a large number of calls/emails we have received. In a charged environment, a TV show like this can create a perception about Indian Americans which could make them more unguarded to further attacks,” said United States-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) chairman Sanjay Puri.
CNN’s new series ‘Believer’ produced by Reza Aslan show promotes xenophobia and Hinduphobia, alleged Ajay Shah of American Hindus Against Defamation.
Incidentally, this is not the first time Reza Aslan has faced mass criticism.
There are a large number of tweets across twitter referring to Reza Aslan as an Islamist apologist that has argued ‘there is no need to fight jihadis like Al-Qaeda, rather the world should engage “moderate Islamic” political forces’.
Lots of Hindus from around the World, including Americans, also took the Twitter to directly notify CNN and Reza Aslan of their misrepresentation or ‘alternative facts’ of Hindu culture, but so far there has been no public apology by either party.
Source- India Live Today
