Jay Leno and NBC are being sued by a Sikh man, who runs a religious organization, for joking about the faith's holy shrine during a monologue last week.
This after Leno showed a photo of a glittering gold building and claimed it was Republican Mitt Romney's summer home.
It was meant to be a joke about the Republican presidential candidate's wealth. But the building in the photograph was the Golden Temple, the holiest site in the Sikh religion.
According to the lawsuit, Randeep Dhillon says the joke was not only "libelous on its face," but also "hurt the sentiments of all Sikh people."
"It clearly exposes plaintiff, other Sikhs and their religion to hatred, contempt, ridicule and obloquy because it falsely portrays the holiest place in the Sikh religion as a vacation resort owned by a non-Sikh," it continues.
Meanwhile, India's minister for Non-Resident Indians, Vayalar Ravi, has objected to the joke and says the Indian Ambassador will take up the matter with the US.
"The Golden Temple is the Sikh community's most sacred place," says Ravi. "Even our Prime Minister went there for prayers in the New Year."
"This is not acceptable to us and we take a very strong objection for such a display of an important place like the Golden Temple. The Indian Embassy is fully aware of it and they will take it up with the State Department."
Jay Leno and NBC are being sued by a Sikh man, who runs a religious organization, for joking about the faith's holy shrine during a monologue last week.
