LONDON, December 3 2004
ANI
Britain's Hindu community is reportedly up in arms over a scene in
the popular ITV television serial, Coronation Street, in which an idol
of Lord Ganesha has been used as form of attack.
According to the BBC, Hindu viewers and community leaders reacted quite
strongly when they saw Maya threatening Sunita with a statue of Lord
Ganesha as part of a long running plot line.
ITV's apologies for having caused offence to Hindu sentiments have
not been accepted, as community leaders felt the apology was conditional.
"The apology is not unconditional, it makes a justification for
the behaviour. This is not acceptable to us," the BBC quoted Ramesh
Kallidai, the secretary of The Hindu Forum of Britain, as saying.
The scene shows Maya ordering a cowering Sunita to be submissive or
her husband would come home to find Sunita had been "beaten to
death by Ganesh, the God of good fortune".
The ITV statement said it was clear Maya "had no regard for anyone
or anything at the moment that the line was said and any right-minded
individual would believe her actions to be abhorrent".
"We have had lots of calls from agitated Hindus - do you think
they would have filmed a scene where a mentally ill person is shown
throwing a Koran on the floor?" Kallidai said.
The forum has now reportedly sought an assurance that it would be consulted
before including any use of Hindu icons that may cause hurt or anger
in the community.
The Hindu Forum of Britain is the largest umbrella body for British
Hindus, with more than 230 member organisations from across the UK.