J.K. ROWLING: Sikhs fume over ‘hairy’ character in Harry Potter author’s new book

Author J. K. Rowling’s new book has angered some members of the Sikh community.

Sikhs are demanding that Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling remove the character of a  female Sikh student derided by her friends for hair on her body, in her latest novel ‘The Casual Vacancy’

Rowling has also earned a rebuke from Sikh’s highest temporal seat, Akal Takht.  Its representative body, the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), has sought removal of the text and an apology from Rowling.

The book is aimed specifically at an older audience and includes adult themes and swear words, BBC reported. “The Casual Vacancy” was released Thursday.

“I hope that we’ve made it really clear that this isn’t a book for children,” she was quoted as saying.

The novel is centred on the death of Barry Fairbrother, whose unexpected passing shocks the villagers of Pagford.

A long passage is devoted to an exploration of online porn by two teenage boys, and what the teenagers see “is described in extremely graphic terms”.

Rowling, whose latest novel has been written with a Sikh family at the heart of its plot, has a character, Fats, describing his classmate Sukhvinder as “mustachioed, yet large-mammaried, scientists remain baffled by the contradictions of the hairy man-woman” on page 120 said the Times of India.

While describing Rowling’s choice of words as “a slur on the Sikh community and provocative”, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said the author must apologize or remove the text from her book in India or face action.

“Even if the author had chosen to describe the female Sikh character’s physical traits, there was no need for her to use provocative language, questioning her gender. This is condemnable,” said Makkar. He refused to say what action the body was planning. 

A paragraph before the Sikh student’s physical description reads even more slanderous, “‘The great hermaphrodite sits quiet and still,’ murmured Fats, his eyes fixed on the back of Sukhvinder’s head.”

The controversy comes close on the heels of an incident involving an American Sikh student Balpreet Kaur, who was mocked for her sideburns and a beard after her pictures were posted on a social networking site, Reditt. 

Kaur, a neuroscience student, had said: “Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women. However, baptized Sikhs believe in the sacredness of this body — it’s a gift that has been given to us by the divine being (which is genderless, actually) and, must keep it intact as a submission to the divine will.” She had written this back on the thread on the site.

The Times of India said Rowling, while launching her book last week, said that she had admitted to using ample research on Sikh religion. She said she had been deeply influenced by Sikhism because of its stress on gender equality. “It’s an amazing religion. My interest was sparked years ago when I was still in my 20s — and a girl I worked with briefly came from a Sikh family.” – IANS with agencies

Tags: India, j.k. rowling, Sikh, Surrey

Jeff says:

October 11, 2012 at 12:11 pm

uhhh, Indians are pretty damn hairy. I think that’s a fact. Should Italians or Arabs also be offended if the character was one of them. Indians are just very good at pulling the race card.

Of course, every negative aspect of a culture identified by another is cried as racism, even if it as obvious as the hair on your arm!

Daman says:

September 30, 2012 at 7:58 pm

Wow Al don’t u realize immigrants have been running the show here forever ?? None of u racist fucks r natives I agree that they shouldn’t be complaining about something this stupid but the backlash seems harsh too and hey Al ur tipping point is them getting a website ?? Take a look in the mirror my friend stop the bullshit stop the hate live ur life and stop concerning ur self with what “They” have or what “They” do mind ur business son

Ange says:

September 30, 2012 at 4:36 pm

A person could find something offensive in every book, movie, TV show, where does it end!!?? Get over it people, it’s a book! A work of fiction!

Al says:

September 30, 2012 at 6:53 pm

Ange you could have not of said it any better than that. Now we have the Desi, just another reason to move away from the lower mainland, immigrants are running the show now.

Bob says:

September 30, 2012 at 8:15 pm

Wow Al, could you have possibly posted something more devoid of intelligent thought? How long have you been stewing in your prejudice?

Its one thing to call people on their oversensitive nonsense but you are just a hate addict.

Bob says:

September 30, 2012 at 4:14 pm

Sikhism is a religion not a race. Russel Peters, a well known Canadian comic of Indian heritage has made jokes about the hairiness of his people, where is his “official rebuke”?

Fiction often reveals the inner thoughts of characters and like all people real or imagined, they are often flawed, prejudiced or ignorant.

The oversensitive groveling to groups simply because they are superstitious and oversensitive accomplishes nothing other than enabling their self centred emotionalism.

Welcome to the world our Sikh brothers and sisters. Every group has experienced this. Do you see Scotts and Irish people getting so twisted up about “ginger jokes” and Groundskeeper Willie? How about all the obscene said about Jews?

Suck it up.

camal says:

September 30, 2012 at 3:13 pm

The whole world would be better of if the religion scam ,hoax would just go away.All religions are the biggest scam in the history of mankind.How could a person living in the 20 century believe in Santa Claus and god.Religion has zero use in a modern world except as a excuse to kill someone else because you didn’t like my god.I wonder how many people in the world die in last hour fighting over religion.

ed says:

September 30, 2012 at 4:00 pm

why is it every time a religoun is questioned – other than the christian faith – is there some sort of backlash
this is f – ing un real – i am getting tired of this -
and why does vancouver need a desi website – it promotes exclusion

Bob says:

September 30, 2012 at 8:24 pm

I’m sorry but you seemed to miss all the protests, boycotts, legal nonsense, personal attacks and other clear forms of backlash that have made the news headlines for decades.

For a site that is so “exclusive” there is a lot of openness to everyone. This is engagement not exclusion.

outdoors says:

September 30, 2012 at 2:52 pm

I am offended by everyone being offended.
Can no one read or do anything anymore without being offended in some way or some how?