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Sikhs not amused by Santa
,Banta
NO ONES LAUGHING :
The sikh community has finally spoken up against the
onslaught of Sardar jokes.The immediate provocation is a booklet on Santa
Banta SMS jokes , in circulation in Mumbai. The booklet cover has two sikhs
- Santa in a Pink turban & Banta in a Blue one.
We have no problem with the use of names Santa & Banta
, but here they are clearly portrayed as Sardars, said Jasmeet Singh , a
member of the Sikh Media and Cultural Watch that has complained to the
Maharashtra Minorities Commission .
In a memorandum it submitted to the Minoroties panel
on wednesday , the group said such acts were deeply humiliating and should
be considered racist.
A member of the group had stumbled upon the pocket
sized booklet, published by Ideas at Rasik Book House in Matunga in Mumbai,
which is the sole distributor of the Rs. 25 booklet. The protestors have
objected to jokes such as :'what will a sardar do with a Xerox copy ? Check
with the original.
"We want the publishers to be taken to task. It is
better late than never. There are blatant references to Sikhs & Sardars.
There has to be an end to this." said Swarnjeet Bajaj, another member of the
group."Today the booklet is circulated in Mumbai, soon it will spread across
the world. There are enough jokes on the net already."
The Minorities commission has decided to send a letter
to the Mumbai Police Commissioner , asking him to book the culprits under
section 295{A} of the Indian Penal Code."This section deals with hurting
religious sentiments with deliberate and malicious intent ,"said Dr. Abraham
Mathai, Vice chairperson of the commission. The publishers could not be
contacted.
with Thanks , Kiran Wadhwa , Hindustan Times dated 9th March,
2007.
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