UK Sikh channel fined for inciting violence
Saturday, 17/08/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130817/main6.htm
London : Britain’s media regulator has imposed a hefty fine of £30,000 on a Sikh television channel for “seriously” breaching its code by broadcasting a programme inciting violence within the community against members of the Indian Army. Sangat TV, a Birmingham-based satellite channel which broadcasts in Punjabi and English, will have to pay the fine for breaching Ofcom’s code by broadcasting the programme that incited Sikhs to take violent action against Lt Gen KS Brar and other members of the Indian armed forces.
The discussion programme aired in October last year followed an attack here on Lt Gen Brar, who led the Indian Army’s Operation Bluestar against Sikh separatists at Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984. Some of the panelists on the show said Brar deserved to be attacked and congratulated the perpetrators.
Last month, three men and a woman of Sikh origin were found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to the 78-year-old retired Army officer while on holiday here in September 2012.
Ofcom said that Sangat TV, which is owned by a company called Regis 1 Limited, broadcast statements which “were an indirect call to members of the Sikh community to take violent action against Lt Gen Brar and other members of the Indian armed forces”.
