Councillor ‘saddened’ by prince’s racist remarks

Jan 12 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ONE of the foremost members of Huddersfield’s Asian community said he was saddened by Prince Harry’s alleged use of racist language.

And Clr Mehboob Khan said the prince should not receive any special treatment just because of who he was.

Controversy started yesterday after it was revealed Harry used the word “Paki” to describe a fellow Army officer in a video shot during training.

He told another officer cadet he looked like a “raghead” – an offensive term for an Arab.

Greenhead councillor Khan, whose wife and parents were born in Pakistan, said people from different backgrounds would have been annoyed by the comments.

He added: “There’s certainly no excuse for that kind of language, whether it’s made in jest or not.

“I’m saddened more than angry about it.

“The person he made racist comments against is meant to be a comrade and it’s an affront to all those people who have fought on the front line in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

“These are third and fourth generation Asians, born in this country, so colour or religion shouldn’t be a distinction. They should just be regarded as British.

“It shows that even after joining the army to fight for Queen and country and putting lives on the line, some people in very senior positions in the Army still have an outdated view towards ethnic minorities.”