London:
A controversial BBC film about the Indian Army storming Golden Temple in 1984, which depicts late Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale "in a similar way to Osama Bin Laden", has provoked a furious response from many members of the community in Britain, a media report said.
A number of Sikhs have condemned the documentary, '1984: A Sikh Story', which they see as nothing but a slur on Bhindranwale, who was killed during the 'Operation Blue Star' ordered by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the 'Daily Mail' reported.
Since his death, Bhindranwale, the controversial leader of Sikh religious group Damdami Taksal, has remained a controversial figure in Indian history. While some view him as a martyr who was fighting for the best interests of Sikhs, others see him as an extremist.
Dr Sadhu Singh, the Chairman of the Council of Sikh Temples, said many viewers were angered that "the BBC showed him (Bhindranwale) looking like bin Laden".
He said: "They used pictures of him wearing a turban and holding a gun. To someone who doesn't know what Sikhism is about, it would be very misleading. Sikhs were attacked after September 11, but Sikhs are nothing to do with bin Laden.
"Some people are very upset that the documentary also showed Sonia Deol dancing with Hindus as if there is no problem between Hindus and Sikhs. The feeling is still there that people who were responsible for 1984 have not been brought to justice."
In fact, the BBC has received some 52 complaints about the documentary, which attracted 1.3 million viewers and was billed as Sikh presenter Sonia Deol's "emotional journey back to India in a bid to discover how such an attack could ever have taken place".
However, community TV station 'The Sikh Channel' has said it received more than 8,000 calls to a phone-in about the controversial film which contain "many sweeping statements and didn't attempt to uncover the truth of what happened".
"Our viewers were not happy. The BBC is not responding to the Sikh community and we are thinking about organising a campaign to invoke the non-payment of licence fees by 700,000 Sikhs in Britain," owner Davinder Singh Bal was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
BBC news presenter subjected to deluge of personal abuse
A BBC news anchor of Indian origin has been subjected to a deluge of personal abuse for presenting a documentary about 'Operation Blue Star', when the Indian army barged at Amritsar's Golden Temple in 1984.
Sonia Deol was forced to delete her page on Facebook website amid a barrage of criticism from fellow Sikhs.
During 'Operation Blue Star', some 500 Sikh separatists and their controversial religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who were in favour of a independent state or (Khalistan) for Sikhs, were holed up in the Golden Temple.
The assault was carried out at the order of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 4, 1984. During the attack Indian soldiers stormed inside temple premises killing many separatists.
Now protesters are planning a mass boycott of the licence fee in protest against what they claimed a slur on Bhindranwale, who was killed in the raid with many claiming he was depicted in the film in a similar way to Osama Bin Laden.
Many Sikhs, particularly supporters of Khalistan consider him a saint and are furious that in Deol's documentary, 1984: A Sikh Story, he was described as a militant.
Bhindranwale and the armed supporters took refuge in the holy place, fearing arrest amid rising Sikh-Hindu tensions.
Deol, who hosts BBC Breakfast at weekends and News 24 bulletins, deleted her Facebook profile on Wednesday after the row escalated.
A number of Sikhs have condemned the documentary, '1984: A Sikh Story', which they see as nothing but a slur on Bhindranwale, who was killed during the 'Operation Blue Star' ordered by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the 'Daily Mail' reported.
Since his death, Bhindranwale, the controversial leader of Sikh religious group Damdami Taksal, has remained a controversial figure in Indian history. While some view him as a martyr who was fighting for the best interests of Sikhs, others see him as an extremist.
Dr Sadhu Singh, the Chairman of the Council of Sikh Temples, said many viewers were angered that "the BBC showed him (Bhindranwale) looking like bin Laden".
He said: "They used pictures of him wearing a turban and holding a gun. To someone who doesn't know what Sikhism is about, it would be very misleading. Sikhs were attacked after September 11, but Sikhs are nothing to do with bin Laden.
"Some people are very upset that the documentary also showed Sonia Deol dancing with Hindus as if there is no problem between Hindus and Sikhs. The feeling is still there that people who were responsible for 1984 have not been brought to justice."
In fact, the BBC has received some 52 complaints about the documentary, which attracted 1.3 million viewers and was billed as Sikh presenter Sonia Deol's "emotional journey back to India in a bid to discover how such an attack could ever have taken place".
However, community TV station 'The Sikh Channel' has said it received more than 8,000 calls to a phone-in about the controversial film which contain "many sweeping statements and didn't attempt to uncover the truth of what happened".
"Our viewers were not happy. The BBC is not responding to the Sikh community and we are thinking about organising a campaign to invoke the non-payment of licence fees by 700,000 Sikhs in Britain," owner Davinder Singh Bal was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
BBC news presenter subjected to deluge of personal abuse
A BBC news anchor of Indian origin has been subjected to a deluge of personal abuse for presenting a documentary about 'Operation Blue Star', when the Indian army barged at Amritsar's Golden Temple in 1984.
Sonia Deol was forced to delete her page on Facebook website amid a barrage of criticism from fellow Sikhs.
During 'Operation Blue Star', some 500 Sikh separatists and their controversial religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who were in favour of a independent state or (Khalistan) for Sikhs, were holed up in the Golden Temple.
The assault was carried out at the order of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 4, 1984. During the attack Indian soldiers stormed inside temple premises killing many separatists.
Now protesters are planning a mass boycott of the licence fee in protest against what they claimed a slur on Bhindranwale, who was killed in the raid with many claiming he was depicted in the film in a similar way to Osama Bin Laden.
Many Sikhs, particularly supporters of Khalistan consider him a saint and are furious that in Deol's documentary, 1984: A Sikh Story, he was described as a militant.
Bhindranwale and the armed supporters took refuge in the holy place, fearing arrest amid rising Sikh-Hindu tensions.
Deol, who hosts BBC Breakfast at weekends and News 24 bulletins, deleted her Facebook profile on Wednesday after the row escalated.
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