Hindus welcome shelving of Gypsy sitcom by UK’s Channel-4

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Hindus welcome shelving of Gypsy sitcom by UK’s Channel-4

Hindus have welcomed reported pulling of the episode “My Big Fat Gypsy Knightmare” by Channel-4 of United Kingdom (UK) from the schedules, which was due to broadcast on December 17.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, stressed that UK and Europe needed to urgently uplift the gypsies (Roma) who were facing apartheid conditions and stop their maltreatment instead of laughing at them for higher ratings and mercantile greed.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, and who frequently takes up European Roma causes, called dropping of this final episode six of British animated sitcom “Full English” a “step in the right direction”.

Rajan Zed blamed Channel-4 few months back for acting highly irresponsibly in its smash hit documentary series “Big Fat Gypsy Weddings”, which he said resulted in adding more misery to the lives of already maltreated European Gypsy community.

In case of “Big Fat Gypsy Weddings”, Channel-4 appeared to have even violated its own Corporate Responsibility statement which clearly aimed at promoting “responsible behavior”, Zed had noted.

Rajan Zed argued that the role of a “public service broadcaster” like Channel-4 should be helping to build the community and not to further harm the already most persecuted section of the community.

Zed pointed out that television was a powerful medium and it could have been used in a more positive and educative way voicing European Roma apartheid.

Rajan Zed stated that apartheid conditions faced by Roma people were a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, racist slogans on Internet, etc.

Zed further said that it was shocking to see how inhumanely Europe had been treating its about 15-million Roma brothers-sisters for such a long period.

“Full English”, created by brothers Harry Williams and Jack Williams, was described by Channel-4 as: "An animated sitcom about the quintessentially English Johnson family. Unashamedly rude and silly..."

Headquartered in London with a regional office in Glasgow, Channel-4 is a publicly-owned, commercially-funded public service broadcaster which works across television, film and digital media. Lord Burns is Chairman of its Board and David Abraham is Chief Executive.

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