Apology: The two comedians who joked about religious personalities and positions during a private event in Paro February 13 have apologized to Dratshang Lhentshog by lighting a thousand butter lamps at Tashichhodzong yesterday.

A video of the pair making jokes about gelong, neten, gomchen and khenpo had gone viral on social media.

Kheng Wangchuk and Karma Dorji, both associated with Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA), also submitted a letter of apology to the Zhung Dratshang.

“We deeply regret this incident and the impact on the religious personalities and we deeply apologize for this action and for any hurt it may have caused,” reads the duo’s letter to Zhung Dratshang.

The letter also says that the act was a result of ignorance, not of malice towards religious personalities and that they did not mean to cause offense to anyone. “We have learned an enormous amount from such act and would like to promise that such act will not be repeated in the future.”

The Secretary General of the Zhung Dratshang, Pema Gyeltshen, said the video is sensitive and criticizes the positions of religious personalities.

“Since the joke was cracked during a private programme, we have asked for an explanation and that such acts be not repeated in the future,” said Pema Gyeltshen. “We also asked for an explanation from the organisation concerned where the two of them are working.”

RAPA said that it will take appropriate actions against Kheng Wangchuk and Karma Dorji.

Yeshey Dema