London: A media watchdog in Britain has a music video on Khalsa TV (KTV) aimed at indirectly inciting the country’s Sikh community to violence and terrorism. A fine of 50,000 pounds has been imposed in the case of airing a discussion program.
The UK government-approved media regulatory authority ‘Communications Office’ (Ofcom) issued an order in this regard on Friday, based on the results of the February and November 2019 investigations. In its order, the Communications Office said that KTV should broadcast the statement of the office regarding its investigation and not to broadcast such music video or discussion program.
“Ofcom has imposed a penalty of 20,000 pounds and 30,000 pounds on Khalsa Television Ltd. for failing to follow our rules,” the communication office said in the order. The fine of 20,000 pounds on KTV relates to the music video and £ 30,000 refers to the penal discussion program. ”
In the year 2018, on July 4, seven and nine, KTV aired a music video for the song ‘Bagga and Shera’. After its investigation, the Communications Office found that the “music video is calling for Sikhs living in Britain to commit violence, including murder”. The Communications Office has found that the content being served on TV was trying to impress viewers, which is a violation of broadcasting rules.
The discussion program aired on 30 March 2019 as ‘Panthak Masle’. The Communications Office found that the program gave many guests a platform to hold views that were similar to “indirectly invoking action and inciting to crime or disorder”. He said, “The Communications Office also found that there was a reference to the banned terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa, which we think can be taken as an attempt to legitimize it and normalize its purpose and acts in the eyes of the audience. is.”
KTV is the largest television channel of the Sikh community in the UK. The Communications Office had received several complaints regarding the music video and discussion program, following which it started an investigation. The music video featured a picture of Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India. The Communications Office underlined that “the video insisted on advocating violent acts against the Indian state”. The discussion program was broadcast in Punjabi and the Communications Office had to translate it into English.
