By Hasan Akram
New Delhi: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hindi has issued an apology to Raza Academy for showing a portrait of Prophet Muhammad in a video.
The apology was extended after Tahaffuz Namoos-e-Risalat Board, a group associated with the Raza Academy, filed a complaint with Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh seeking action against BBC Hindi.
Raza Academy members had also met Maharashtra minister Aslam Sheikh and urged him to ensure action against the media organisation. According to news reports published in Urdu dailies, both Sheikh and Singh had assured the members that action would be taken in the matter.
In a letter to Saeed Noori, General Secretary of Raza Academy and member of the Board, BBC News Hindi Editor Mukesh Sharma wrote that the video has been revised. “We regret any offence it may have caused”, Sharma added.
According to the video of Gallinews India, BBC journalist Iqbal Ahmad, said, ”BBC is ashamed for committing such a grave mistake, and an enquiry has already been initiated. I want to assure you that we at BBC understand the sensibilities and accept our mistakes. We profusely apologise for depicting such an image on our show that hurt sentiments of many. The BBC has also decided to remove the objectionable contents from the video, and we are ready to accept any of your demands.”
After receiving the letter, the aforementioned board said that the matter has come to an end as the media organization has removed the portrait and issued an apology.