Nbc Portrays Sikhs In Negative Light

[SSNews]

NBC Portrays Sikhs in Negative Light: A Protest from the Sikh Nation

NBC Press Advisories:

We are writing this letter on behalf of the the Sikh Community in USA regarding the documentary Forbidden Love , due to be telecast on Jan 17, 2008.

On Tuesday Jan 15, 2008 while watching the election coverage for the Michigan Primaries many Sikhs watched the advertisement for your report " Forbidden Love" which was flashed repeatedly. In this AD you show a picture of Jassi and Mithu, a sword and then the picture of a Sikh gentleman with flowing beard. This is a very provocative AD and portrays the Sikh community in a negative light. I, as community leader and activist request you to reconsider your decision to air this documentary. The incidence on which this documentary is based, happened 5-6 years ago. The facts in the matter have not been established, hence it is irresponsible for Bob McKeown to assert that Jassi's uncle has killed Jassi.

The Sikh nation after experiencing and being the victim of constant barrage of negative propaganda by the Indian Government and intelligence through western media, stand resolute to fight such negative portrayals of Sikhs through legal and righteous channels.

Though we hold NBC in high esteem of giving the fair coverage to the Sikh community after Sept 11, 2001 attacks, where many Sikhs were assaulted and murdered, we do not want the public primed negatively against the Sikhs one more time. It happened in 1983 where the western media start showing Sikhs as villians and terrorists like shown in the movie OCTOPUSSY in 1983 and others and the list goes on. The purpose was to prime the world against the Sikhs before the bigger title of being terrorists can be forced on them. ABC news, Peter Jenings innocently or maliciously labeled Sikhs as the killers of Rajiv Gandhi, former Indian Prime Minister who indeed was killed by a suicide bomber, a Hindu Tamil. In 1985 Indian Intelligence blew it own Air India's plane and blamed it on the Sikhs.

Only two years ago two Canadian Sikhs were exonerated by the canadian courts who were falsely accused of blowing Air India's plane in 1985 over the international skies. Please read the book SOFT TARGET by two canadian journalists Brian McAndrew and Zuhair Kashmeri which points the finger at indian Intelligence. It all happened because of the lobby by Indian Government and indian Intelligence. Unfortunately the exoneration of those two innocent Sikhs have not exonerated the entire Sikh Nation whose name

has been stained forever.

Sikhs are an ecumenical people who saved the religion of Hindus from extinction, they liberated Jews, the victims of Nazi Germany and brought an end to slavery in Africa in 1893 by giving their own lives. They recognized Israel as a nation with its full right to exist as a nation in 1949, where as India did not recognize Israel until 1992 and that too under pressure. Sikhs as a nation fight to reclaim its lost sovereignty through peaceful, democratic and political means. Freedom is our birthright and no propaganda or defamation by any media can stifle the voice of freedom.

We appeal to you as law abiding citizens not to portray our community in negative light and not air this documentary as we consider you fair and righteous. We look forward to meeting your chief executive in person and sort out any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Dr. Paramjit Singh Ajrawat

Antidefamation Sikh Council for Freedom of Khalistan