Jay Leno Golden Temple gag: freedom of speech?

Popular US television host Jay Leno faces a lawsuit after a joke he made which has angered the Sikh community.

Dr Randip Dhillon is seeking damages over a gag on the Tonight Show last Thursday (19) which suggested Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was so rich, he lived in the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

Multi-millionaire Romney has scrutiny over taxation issues on his personal wealth. In his skit, Leno referred to the Golden Temple as Romney's summer home.

The Golden Temple, known as Harmandir Sahib, is considered to be one of the holiest sites for Sikhs. Dr Dhillon, branding Leno's comments as 'racist', said the gag exposed Sikhs and the Golden Temple to hatred, contempt, ridicule because Leno had falsley portrayed it as 'a vacation resort owned by a non-Sikh'.

The issue has turned into a worldwide matter, with overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi saying,

"It is quite unfortunate and quite objectionable that such a comment has been made after showing the Golden temple. (It) is Sikh community's most sacred place. Even our Prime Minister went there for praying in the New Year. I believe that (Jay Leno) is not that ignorant. The American Government should also look at this kind of thing."

But US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the US Constitution strictly protected freedom of speech.

She said,

"I hope [Leno will] be appreciative if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech and, frankly, they appeared to be satirical in nature."

Leno has so far failed to issue a statement on the issue.