Hindus welcome Oz radio host’s apology over anti-Ganga, anti-India remarks

Nevada (US): The Hindus have welcomed the apology by popular Australian radio/TV personality Kyle Sandilands and his radio station “2dayFM” over his remarks about their sacred river Ganga and India, calling it a “step in the right direction”. In July 29 "Kyle and Jackie O Show" at Sydney’s radio station “2dayFM 104.1", Sandilands termed Ganga as “junkyard” and India a “shit hole”. Adam Lang, General Manager of “2dayFM”, in a letter dated August four and emailed by his Executive Assistant Sarah Potts to distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, said: “I hope that you feel that Kyle Sandilands and 2DayFM have taken complete responsibility for the offence caused by the remarks made. The offence was not intended but that consequence is absolutely accepted and we do sincerely apologise.” This letter also says: “Kyle has apologized on air yesterday morning saying….“I’m apologizing….Anyone that’s Indian that listens to this show knows that I love Indians….I just made the mistake that the river which, to me, looks polluted, I said it was a junkyard and did not realize that it was holy.” Lang’s letter adds: “In the case of Kyle’s remarks, they were directed toward the water quality of the river rather than the spiritual significance of the Ganga to so many people and their religious practices.” Considering the apology a “step in the right direction”, Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, suggested that “2dayFM 104.1" and its owner "Southern Cross Austereo" should put in policies and procedures in place, assuring the hurt community that this kind of denigration would not happen in the future. As radio was a forceful medium, they should be more sensitive when handling faith related subjects, because faith was something very sacred to the devout, he added. It is believed that bath in the sacred Ganga purifies one of all sin, and its water if taken daily confers immortality. It finds mention in Rig-Veda; the oldest scripture of the world still in common use. Kumbh Mela has been seeing an influx of about 70-100 million people from world over coming to take a dip in Ganga. ANI