The Sikh community in B.C. was shocked last week on seeing Sushma’s T.V. coverage of the Baisakhi parade in Vancouver, March 28, 1986. According to a protest note by Manmohan Singh, spokesman of the International Sikh Youth Federation published in The Link, Canada,
This magnificent parade organized jointly by B.C’s Sikh organizations and Gurdwaras every year to discharge her from the present position for the sake of unity and harmony in the community. The impression that the Baisakhi parade was a failure. Perhaps she did this to impress somebody.
The whole emphasis of her T.V. coverage was to give the impression that a lot less number of people attended the Baisakhi Nagar Kirtan. Whereas, according to both Vancouver Sun and The Province newspapers as well as B.C. T.V. reports over 20,000 people part pated in this year’s parade. However, we feel that the more important thing was the spirit and enthusiasm of the participants than the numbers.
Sushma’s biased coverage of the Baisakhi parade is definitely a case of media twisting to suit her personal commitments towards somebody (?).
Moreover, the way she has covered this important Sikh event, we doubt her professionalism in broadcasting. In this regard we suggest 10 her that either she should go back to her BBC training school and learn the basics of reporting or just stick to showing movies and dramas in her TV programs.
If Sushma does not do a fair and professional job in broadcasting we don’t have any other choice ‘except to make serious efforts with the cable company and the CRTC to discharge her from the present position for the sake of unity and harmony in the community.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 25, 1986
