British Sikh TV channel fined for offensive content

Britain's media regulator Ofcom has fined a British Sikh TV channel for broadcasting a programme that reportedly incited violence.

Ofcom imposed a fine of 30,000 pounds on Regis 1, owners of Sangat TV that broadcast a programme Jan 13 that had panelists inciting the Sikh community to carry out attacks on members of the Indian armed forces.

The programme reportedly supported the dastardly attack on Lieutenant General (retd) K.S. Brar, who oversaw the Indian Army's controversial Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in June 1984 while he was walking on a London street with his wife Sep 30, 2012.

The programme reportedly broadcast statements by panelists 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", The Telegraph reported.

Brar was set upon by four men who tried to slit his throat and he was left with a 12-inch cut on his neck and another cut on his jaw.

The panelists in the Sangat TV programme reportedly said that Brar deserved to be attacked and congratulated the perpetrators of the crime.

Three members of the Sikh community were last month convicted for the attack on Brar and another man was charged with the crime this month.

According to Ofcom, Sangat TV, by broadcasting the programme, breached Rule 3.1 of Britain's Broadcasting Code, which states that "material likely to encourage or incite the commission of crime or to lead to disorder must not be included in television or radio services".

Meanwhile, Regis 1 said that Sangat TV was run by volunteers and anything more than a token fine would be "crippling", The Telegraph report said.