NEW DELHI: Following objections from listeners, Radio One in Mumbai has made a public apology on its channel for some allegedly ‘sexist comment’ made by comedian Sorabh during a conversation with a radio jockey on 13 May.

Initially Radio One station director Naveen Saxena had sent a written apology to the listener, but she insisted that this was not acceptable since the programme had been aired in public. Saxena thereafter agreed to make an apology on the show aired on 21 May.

In a letter to the listener, the station director said: ‘Post an internal enquiry conducted by us, we have strengthened our systems to ensure that going forward such sexist comments are not aired on our FM radio station.’

He added: ‘We hereby state that Radio One and/ or its hosts do not endorse views of any of the guests that appear on any of its shows and strictly follow the AIR Code of Conduct and discourages disrespect to any individual, gender or community.’

According to the female listener, “In the morning programme of RJ Hrishikesh Kannan aka Hrishi K, some comedian called Sorabh invited on the show between 07.30 am and 7.42 am went on to discuss about cheer leaders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) describing them in a language and manner unacceptable on a public radio channel. His last comment, to which RJ Hrishikesh Kannan never objected to, and which I for one cannot let pass, was that 'he would like to see women nanga'. The fact that this went on-air unabated and uncontrolled has left me with no choice but to demand an inquiry into this incident and a public apology.”

The listener had brought the issue to the attention of India Against Corruption, which had been formed in the wake of the agitation by Anna Hazare.

According to India Against Corruption National Convenor Sarbajit Roy: ‘It is very nice to know that Radio One has finally understood the power of their consumers and agreed to give a public apology on-air to the listener. In the long term it will only benefit Radio One.’