CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress president and Member of Parliament Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a ban on the proposed web series “Lawrence of Punjab”, based on the life of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
Warring said he had filed the petition in the larger public interest, particularly keeping in view the socio-criminal environment prevailing in Punjab.
The petition, he said, raises substantial issues concerning public order, societal harmony, and the responsible dissemination of digital content.
The petitioner approached the High Court seeking directions to the Union of India and other respondents to stop or ban its release and public exhibition on social media platforms.
The petition was filed through counsel Nikhil Ghai and is expected to come up for consideration before the Bench in due course.
The PIL mentioned that the impugned web series, as evident from its promotional material and description, is based on the life and activities of a notorious gangster, Lawrence Bishnoi, and seeks to portray his "rise" from a student leader to the head of a criminal syndicate.
It noted that such depiction, centred around the growth, power and influence of a real-life criminal figure, carries a serious risk of glorifying unlawful activities and creating an aspirational image of criminal conduct, particularly among impressionable youth.
The petition said the portrayal of organised crime and glorification of a real-life gangster in the impugned series poses a direct and proximate threat to public order, especially in a sensitive region like Punjab where issues of gang culture and youth vulnerability are prevalent.
Such content is likely to encourage imitation, foster hero worship of criminal elements, and dilute the deterrent effect of criminal law.
The petition seeks issuance of appropriate writs or directions, including a stay on the release of the impugned web series or, in the alternative, directions for modification or removal of objectionable content, and formulation of stricter regulatory guidelines for OTT platforms to prevent glorification of criminal activities and to ensure compliance with constitutional and statutory mandates.