8 October 2007

RADIO RED FM IN TROUBLE FOR 'INSULTING' GORKHA COMMUNITY

New Delhi, October 3:The broadcast panel will decide on Thursday on a seven-day ban imposed by the information and broadcasting ministry on the Delhi-based Red FM radio station for airing an allegedly racist remark against the Nepali/Gorkha community after Darjeeling boy Prashant Tamang was crowned Indian Idol-3 at a TV show last week.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi on Tuesday made it clear that action will be taken against Red FM. The ministry referred the case to the TDSAT with a recommendation to ban the station for a week.
"It is prima facie evident that the remarks are in violation of the programme code," India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said. He also branded the station "racist and insulting." It ordered Red FM to explain itself by today evening.
Areas around Darjeeling have been rocked by protests and clashes following the Red FM comments, and Indian army soldiers continued to be deployed in the nearby town of Siliguri for a third day yesterday. Earlier, thirty people were injured there in clashes between two community and police.

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