Zealand PM to continue to front ‘Indian racial-slur-hit’ TVNZ’s Breakfast show
By ANISunday, October 10, 2010
WELLINGTON - Despite calling the country’s TV presenter’s comments against New Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, as ‘racist’, that has embarrassed his country, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has said he would continue to appear on the TVNZ’s Breakfast show every week.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Key said this at the opening of a new look Eden Park today.
On Saturday, Key said that the Henry’s “poorly designed humour has ended up embarrassing New Zealand. For that I am regretful.”
His latest comments follow calls from a number of MPs including Pita Sharples that Henry should be sacked from his job.
In an expression of outrage over the racist comments, a frequent guest on the Breakfast show has said he would not appear on the show again, and some advertisers have threatened to pull their money.
Meanwhile, Henry has reportedly resigned from TVNZ.
Earlier, the TVNZ breakfast host mocked the name of Sheila Dikshit by repeatedly calling her “Dick-sh*t” and claimed that her name was “so appropriate” because she was an Indian.
“It’s so appropriate, because she’s Indian, so she’d be dick-in-sh*t wouldn’t she, do you know what I mean? Walking along the street … it’s just so funny,” Henry said earlier.
Following Henry’s comments, the Indian government had expressed its displeasure and summoned the New Zealand high commissioner over the issue.
New Zealand’s high commissioner in India Rupert Holborow had apologized on Friday to the country’s External Affairs ministry over comments made by the Kiwi presenter Paul Henry. He further conveyed “deep regret” for the “culturally insensitive, inappropriate and vulgar” remarks and said he would personally apologize to Dikshit.
The Kiwi Foreign Minister Murray McCully also apologised on Friday saying that although he was powerless to act against Henry who had made “gratuitous and insulting” race remarks about Dikshit, he accepted that it was a ” regrettable abuse of freedom of speech”. (ANI)
