Afghan Loves Hindu Soap Operas, but Blocks Hindu Imagery

Afghanistan's lower house of Parliament passed a resolution Monday seeking to bar television programs from showing dancing and other practices deemed un-Islamic.

The decision came just days after the private Tolo TV channel aired a dance number featuring men and women together on an Afghan film awards program.

The Information and Culture Ministry condemned the scene, saying "dancing by men and women together was completely against the culture of the Afghan, Muslim society."

The parliamentary resolution, drafted by a commission for cultural and religious affairs, said dancers should not be shown on television, and un-Islamic scenes should be cut from Indian TV series broadcast in Afghanistan, said Din Mohammad Azimi, a lawmaker and member of the commission.

Azimi said the resolution also includes an article saying Afghan banks should not offer interest-bearing accounts because Islamic law forbids interest.

The resolution, which is not now legally binding and cannot be enforced, will go before the upper house of Parliament for consideration, Azimi said. It would also have to be approved by the president before becoming law.

Afghanistan's media landscape has bloomed following the fall of the hard-line Taliban regime in 2001, and Tolo TV has become one of the country's most popular channels with its steady stream of programing, including music videos and Indian soap operas.

But government officials and powerful factional leaders frequently pressure broadcasters because of programs deemed too racy or overly critical.

Last year gunmen entered the home of Zakia Zaki, the female owner of a radio station, and shot her to death in front of her 8-year-old son. Zaki had apparently criticized local warlords who warned her to change her station's programming.

Shaima Rezayee, a popular host for an MTV-style music show, was shot dead in 2005 after clerics criticized her show as "anti-Islamic."

Tolo TV's owner Saad Mohseni said the dancing on the awards show Friday was "very tame by any standard" and the women were dressed modestly.

Tolo TV often blurs any images deemed insulting to Islam, such as statues of Hindu gods on Indian programs and even the uncovered necks and shoulders of Indian actresses.

"It's the re-Talibanization of Afghan society," Mohseni said. "Every single week they come up with something new."

He called on the Afghan government and the international community to take a stand against the religious conservatives, saying they "cannot allow a very small minority within Afghan society to call the shots."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• bollywood
• in
• afghanistan
• indian
• tv
• censored
• india
• lazy
• muslims

[thescorpionking2020]

@zakuza92 lol at 1:02,parents worry their children waste time watching these serials otherwise they wud have bombed themselves and killed hundred others half an hour back lol motherfuckin afghans

[chowdhury07]

ohwahwah, Afgans ruled India for 500 years and that also with the help of hindus. There was no hindu muslim divide as such. Akbar fought a decisive battle with Rana Pratap to protect his empire and Akbar's general was Man Sing ,a hindu,and otherhand Rana Pratap's general was a pathan. And the most important point is in Afganistan " Khan" has came from Ghengis Khan. Who won Persia and Afganistan and raped thousands of women. And Ghengis Khan was Buddhist and Buddhism is a part of Hinduism.

[torontoRR]

@nikhilyt WTF!!! afghans have never been conquered dumb shit.

[jungleman68]

@nikhilyt alexander called them unconquerable

[blingblingandmal]

your missing a very important point at 1:26.. "but if you apprehend that you might not be able to do justice to them, then marry only one wife," stop taking things out of context and read scripture carefully, remember your reading scripts from over 1000 years ago.. you need to know where you're reading your translation from, the arab language is so complex that even an arab that speaks fluent arabic isn't considered the right person to translate it for you.. thanks

[tolykozin]

@IndianSharma Hey bud, stop it, 2 wrongs dont make a right. Respect and be respected. Jai Hind!

[xzaxx]

80% off the afghans in afghanistan are stupid.!!!

[MrAwesomesauce101]

Oh WTF ever I'd like to see the reaction of the people when the Indian pm spoke to afghan parliament.

[Ommatey]

@Ommatey

So have you read the verse from surah 4:82 where Allah says: Do they not read the Quran with care? Had it been from anyone besides Allah they would found there in many contradictions!

Now if u say Quran is not of God, show me 1 contradiction, than i will agree with you it is not book of God.

[thescorpionking2020]

@Ommatey obviously i have read d entire book,quite a boring read which makes no sense watsoevr

[Ommatey]

@thescorpionking2020

peace be with you,

look brother, u said Quran is a book made by human beings. HAVE U EVER READ THE QURAN????

[thescorpionking2020]

@Ommatey if god wanted to tell sumthing to human beings y not tell it evryone at d same time wats d point of whispering into d ear of an illiterate camel merchant for what he wants for entire humanity and dat 2 for eternity and dat 2 dictating absurd nonsense about not eating pork.mutilating genitals,beating wives,slaughtering non muslims,its obvious dat quran is man made allah does not exist and mohamamd was a charlatan,there wer many charlatans like him roaming in arabia during dat time