Last Days Of The Raj - Channel 4 Documentary

[lsingh]

plz someone put up a post telling evryone how to complain to c4. once again it comes down to numbers. the more complaints that better it will be heard. Evry must complain about this. Stand up and be counted!!!!

This was a rubbish program and unture as well. sikhs were never the first to attack muslims.

QUOTE(sher_panjabi @ Mar 13 2007, 08:20 AM)

To make a complaint:

Channel4.com - Make a Complaint Form

Complain to Ofcom

Details of the Programme:

Programme title: PARTITION: The Last Days of the Raj

Date(s) & time(s) of broadcast: 12/03/07, 9pm to 10.30pm

Channel / station: Channel 4

I sent this to Channel 4, building upon what Dal Singh jee wrote in his complaint:

QUOTE

Subject: Racism & Ill-Feeling Against Sikhs in Documentary

On 12th March 2007 at 9pm, Channel 4 aired the programme "Partition". The programme was totally biased, misrepresentative of the Sikh perspective, which was very offensive, and many Sikhs feel invoked racism against Sikhs.

1. The Sikhs of Panjab were portrayed as communal troublemakers and shown as barbaric savages whereas the Muslims were simply defending themselves and the Hindus were peace-loving people caught up in the tension. This is firstly, totally false. Secondly, it invokes racial hatred against Sikhs as the other two communities (Hindus and Muslims) were portrayed as the victims.

2. The programme largely focused on Panjab, which historically has been the Sikh homeland and it is widely known the Sikh Kingdom which the last part of India to be annexed by the British was based in Panjab with it's capital Lahore and stretched from Kabul to Delhi. However, the programme only featured one Sikh speaker who was featured making comments "twice" only. Considering the history and politics, it was irresponsible of the documentary makers not including more Sikh speakers and the bias views shown incited hatred and ill feeling against Sikhs.

3. The documentary overlooked the disproportionate contribution and sacrifice of Sikhs for the independence movement as well as failing to explaining the position of Sikhs prior to the British invasion/annex of Panjab was mischievous to say the least. On the other hand it focused on the Muslim League and Congress Party contributions.

4. The documentary portrayed the British as a concerned innocent party throughout the programme, which was very patronizing, hypocritical and offensive. Prior to the British invasion of Panjab, the Sikhs had achieved communal harmony in the Panjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. However, 100 years of the British Raaj and the British policy of "Divide and Rule" led to communal in fighting as shown in the programme.

5. Master Tara Singh and Mr. Baldev Singh were only mentioned in minor detail. The documentary failed to even mention whom Baldev Singh was, his background and proposal. The proposal of a Sikh independent state was not mentioned and how the Congress made promises of the Sikhs of full autonomy and sovereignty in the independent India.

In conclusion the documentary makers did a praise-worthy job in compiling the programme together and efforts to make a balanced account of history, however the Sikh community are disappointed and hurt by the bias and misrepresentation shown in the programme, which undoubtedly invokes ill feeling and racial hatred against Sikhs in viewers who are unaware of the reality.

I would urge the documentary makers to make an apology to the Sikh Community for indirectly invoking racial hatred against Sikhs through the poor documentation of the programme, and in future documentary makers produce a more representative, unbiased and wholesome account of historical events.

I await a reply.

Kind regards

Benti - The more people that complain to Ofcom and Channel 4, the more seriously television producers will take in account the Sikh Opinion. It may seem "minor" or "small issue" to some, however, if this goes unnoticed it allows more misrepresentation and more bias in the future. Best to nip the issue in the bud.

Bhul Chuk Maaf.

QUOTE(sher_panjabi @ Mar 13 2007, 08:20 AM)

To make a complaint:

Channel4.com - Make a Complaint Form

Complain to Ofcom

Details of the Programme:

Programme title: PARTITION: The Last Days of the Raj

Date(s) & time(s) of broadcast: 12/03/07, 9pm to 10.30pm

Channel / station: Channel 4

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[Guest militant singh]

4rm histroy i can see we see da raincloud after its gone - is true

[chatanga]

isingh i thank you very much. i have sent my feelings in. evry1 else plz do the same.

chatanga

[davindervirk]

Please tell me know if it could be played in canada or its just uk? What about the movie parition i heard i was good.

[wjkk wjkf]

dunno bout the movie but if the doc was shown on channel 4, uk i doubt it'll b shown in canada...i think u just might b able to watch it on chaanel 4's website? worth a try

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

On:

http://www.EktaOne.com/

Link:

http://www.ekta1.com/video/News%20l%20Educ...arch%202007.wmv

Vaheguroo Jee Kaa Khalsa, Vaheguroo Jee Kee Phateh!!!

[High Spirits]

I added a complaint with ofcom using the template in the earlier post, sangat jee please also log a complaint.

[Hardeep Kaur]

If any one wants to watch it...its on www.ektaone.com

[Hardeep Kaur]

oops...somones already told u that

[dalsingh101]

People should write their own personal complaint about the program. We will look like a bunch of brainless morons if we keep sending copies of the same complaint in.

Some people, who are literate, pen your own complaint and send it in!!

For you young ones, who write in <banned word filter activated> slang all the time. Take note, most of you have been born and bred in the U.K.

If you're incapable of stringing a few coherant and intelligent words together in English you should wake up.