December 15, 2009; Washington DC The U.S.-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) condemns recent remarks by popular TV Commentator Glenn Beck about India, its religious heritage, and Indian physicians in a recent broadcast as offensive and in poor taste. Glenn Beck made several disparaging remarks about India's medical education and its physicians while interviewing Karlyn Zimbelman, an American who underwent a successful hip replacement surgery in India recently. He then went on to needlessly insult India's religious heritage, disparaging the River Ganges, holy to a billion Hindus worldwide.

USINPAC Chairman, Sanjay Puri said that "I am deeply disappointed at the conduct of Glenn Beck. In trying to get some cheap laughs, Beck has ridiculed India's heritage by low and derogatory comments. His remarks about the River Ganges, an important part of a lot of Indians’ spirituality and culture, are especially offensive. He has mocked India's medical education system in an attempt to advance his view on domestic health reform. This is the same medical system where a large number of the over 40,000 US physicians of Indian origin were educated! I ask Glenn Beck to apologize to the nearly three million Indian Americans for this appalling behavior immediately."

Manish Thakur, National Security Coordinator of USINPAC, said that "By making such outrageous statements, Glen Beck has hurt Indian Americans. Beck, who has himself, cited 'personal responsibility' as one of his core values should immediately offer an apology. Fox TV, whose affiliates are widely watched in India, needs to explain how they could allow such bigotry to pass on their channel."

To watch the Fox Video with Glenn Beck's interview, please visit http://mediamatters.org/blog/200912100015

    
  
  
       
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