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Hindu leaders call for boycott of Paramount products
After many futile attempts to contact the presenters of the film 'The Love Guru', the Hindu protester being led by Indo-American leader Rajan Zed are considering calling a boycott of Paramount and Viacom products worldwide.
CJ: Rajan
 
Sat, Jun 14, 2008 15:57:40 IST
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IN VIEW of apparent lampooning by the upcoming Hollywood movie 'The Love Guru' and its presenter Paramount Pictures showing utter disregard to the protests, Hindus are considering launching worldwide boycott of products of Paramount and its parent company Viacom if no immediate acceptable solution is reached.

Protesting Hindus have been perturbed by “Paramount's utter disregard of the one-billion-strong Hindu community”, who have vowed to intensify their campaign against the movie. Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu leader, who spearheaded this drive, has been saying that from the information available about the movie, it appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously.

In a communiqué to Paramount Pictures today, Bhavna Shinde, representing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and Sanatan Society for Scientific Spirituality, said, “If this anti-Hindu stance taken by Paramount and Viacom continues, and these companies make no efforts to contact the protestors (including Rajan Zed and us) to arrive at an agreeable solution immediately, Hindus and other spiritual seekers, who hold the 'Guru-disciple' relationship as sacred, will be left with no other alternative, but to consider launching a worldwide boycott of Paramount and Viacom products, and not to have any dealings with Paramount and Viacom. The responsibility for this will lie with Paramount and Viacom, for not making any efforts to have an open dialogue with protesters and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution.”

"We are appalled at the unprofessional attitude of Paramount and its parent company Viacom, who we had thought to be highly credible global business entities, held in high esteem. It is very unusual for corporations like Paramount and Viacom to behave so immaturely", Shinde added.

She listed various reasons of Hindu community “feeling hurt” as: apparent denigration of Hinduism and Hindu concepts by 'The Love Guru', no reportedly promised pre-screening of the movie in sight, ignoring of protesters despite their repeated efforts for contact, failure to respond to protesters' communiqués, non-issuance of study guide on Hinduism for the viewers of the movie, utter disregard for the efforts of Hindus to arrive at an acceptable solution.

In a communiqué to Rajan Zed in March; Jessica Rovins, Senior Vice President National Publicity of Paramount Pictures, wrote, “It is our full intention to screen the film for Rajan Zed and other Hindu leaders in the U.S. once we have a finished print.” Hindu groups have been repeating the same statement in the media since then without any denial or contradictory statement from Paramount, thus concluding that Paramount was going to stand by its words.

Attempts by Hindu groups to reach Paramount executives during the last few weeks have also proven to be futile.

Prominent Indo-American leader Rajan Zed has said that it was shocking to see a company like Paramount, a brand of Viacom, which is held in high esteem world over and is known for its credibility and clean business practices, apparently going back on its word to pre-screen the movie for Hindu leaders. It is like sending the message that Paramount does not care about the feelings of one billion Hindus of the world.

Hindu groups are re-planning their agitation in view of this development and leaning towards further intensification and taking it to the streets.

Shinde, in another communiqué earlier to Paramount, said, “So far, the protest movement against this movie's denigration of sacred concepts of Hinduism is increasing, with thousands of Hindus and spiritual people from around the world joining in. However, Paramount Pictures' seeming 'about turn' on their promise to the Hindu community may cause the tolerant Hindu community to lose patience and we fear the protests coming to the streets against this movie…. At least the producers of 'The passion of Christ' movie had the decency to keep their promise to the clergy by holding advanced screenings for them…We ask Paramount Pictures to promptly contact Rajan Zed to arrange the pre-screening of this movie for Hindu leaders.”

The apparent breaking of the promise by Paramount has angered various other Hindu leaders also, who are also gravitating towards taking the protest to the streets.

Hindu groups have also contacted cinema/film related organisations worldwide urging them not to distribute/screen upcoming Hollywood movie 'The Love Guru' till Paramount Pictures makes necessary changes to it, “so that it will not hurt the feelings of the worldwide spiritual and Hindu community.” Hindu groups have contacted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging intervention in the matter. They have also floated an online protest signature drive, which had over 5,200 signatures today.
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