After the recent furore over the controversial episode of the BBC programme Top Gear, in which India was subjected to 'toilet humour', India has strongly "objected" to a remark made about one of India's most iconic religious landmarks by popular US television host Jay Leno.
Leno, host of the " The Tonight Show", flashed a picture of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on his programme and termed it as a 'possible summer home of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.'
The remark was picked up by American-Indian community leaders and visiting Non Resident Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi yesterday "objected" to the remark.
"It is quite unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a comment has been made after showing the...Golden temple," Ravi told Indian media.
"[The] Golden temple is [the] Sikh community's most sacred place. Even our Prime Minister went there for praying in the New Year. I believe that the person who has shown [this] is not that ignorant. The American Government should also look at this kind of thing," he said.
"I wish this kind of thing is not shown by any media in the US," Ravi said, adding that he has not seen the show personally and has heard about it from the Sikh community in the US who were outraged. There are around 600,000 Sikhs in the US.
"Freedom does not mean hurt the sentiments of others... This is not acceptable to us and we take a very strong objection for such a display of an important place like Golden temple," Ravi said.
"The embassy is fully aware of it and they will take it up," he said. He added he has directed Indian Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao, to take up the matter with the US State Department.
An online petition has been started against Leno a Facebook page was created to express their anger against him. The page is believed to have only have 8 Likes. However similar groups have been launched.
http://www.blottr.com/breaking-news/...-golden-temple
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Leno, host of the " The Tonight Show", flashed a picture of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on his programme and termed it as a 'possible summer home of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.'
The remark was picked up by American-Indian community leaders and visiting Non Resident Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi yesterday "objected" to the remark.
"It is quite unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a comment has been made after showing the...Golden temple," Ravi told Indian media.
"[The] Golden temple is [the] Sikh community's most sacred place. Even our Prime Minister went there for praying in the New Year. I believe that the person who has shown [this] is not that ignorant. The American Government should also look at this kind of thing," he said.
"I wish this kind of thing is not shown by any media in the US," Ravi said, adding that he has not seen the show personally and has heard about it from the Sikh community in the US who were outraged. There are around 600,000 Sikhs in the US.
"Freedom does not mean hurt the sentiments of others... This is not acceptable to us and we take a very strong objection for such a display of an important place like Golden temple," Ravi said.
"The embassy is fully aware of it and they will take it up," he said. He added he has directed Indian Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao, to take up the matter with the US State Department.
An online petition has been started against Leno a Facebook page was created to express their anger against him. The page is believed to have only have 8 Likes. However similar groups have been launched.
http://www.blottr.com/breaking-news/...-golden-temple
Attachments - Sikh Philosophy Network
More...