BBC has received a petition from a Christian group signed by 12,000 people asking the station to remove Aaqil Ahmed as the Head of Religion and Ethics, and scrap proposals that will reduce Christian programming.
Last month, an internal review by BBC concluded with Ahmed’s report saying the station is too Christian. The report also suggested a more inclusive scheme for religious programs, which will give more airtime to Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh faiths,The Telegraph reports.
A Muslim leader also suggested broadcasting their Friday prayers from a mosque, just like BBC features Christian church services in some of its time slots. Director general Lord Hall is now reportedly considering Ahmed’s report and recommendations for a less “disproportionate” religious output.
In response to the proposal, Voice of Justice UK’s CEO Revd. Lynda Rose has said that giving more airtime to Christian programs is just right because the United Kingdom is a Christian country. She gave emphasis on Christian values upon which the nation’s laws and culture are founded.
Rose also implied that Ahmed should not be BBC’s Head of Religion and Ethics because of his clear bias in favor of Islam. In line with this thought, Rose called for respect for Christianity despite the United Kingdom’s status as a multicultural society.
BBC, on the other hand, released a statement expressing its intention to include more programs on Christianity and other faiths. The station also denied accusations that Ahmed is biased against Christianity.
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