BBC probes staff over racist, anti-Pak slurs in Whatsapp group

LONDON: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has suspended a star of its Asian Network in a row over online messages littered with lewd comments and racist slurs -- including racist attacks on Pakistanis and BBC’s British Pakistani staff members.

Famous DJ and BBC host Tommy Sandhu, 40, who is of Indian origin, is amongst at least four colleagues allegedly part of WhatsApp group sharing sexist comments as well as homophobic remarks and a derogatory term for Pakistanis.

One of the men in the group suggested they refuse to play any music by Pakistanis on the breakfast show even though the network was set up to cater to all Asian groups. This isn’t the first time that BBC Asian Network has been accused of anti-Pakistani bias, on several occasions it has emerged that BBC Asian Network’s hosts and DJs refused to give due coverage to Pakistani art and culture. In fact, allegations have been made by insiders that the BBC Asian Network has intolerant policy towards Pakistani music and musicians.

Another message in the group referred to BBC’s British Pakistanis entertainment reporter Haroon Rashid as a ‘Paki’ -- a racist derogatory term used to attack Pakistanis physically and to attack their origin.

It was discussed in the group that one of the DJs who worked with British Pakistani presenter Noreen Khan had been converted by ‘Pakis’. When one of the men did some work with Noreen Khan, another BBC Asian Network DJ, they were asked on the messaging group “have them Pakis converted you?” according to sources who revealed evidence to British media.

Vile sexist comments were also made about female Asian Network staff, including young assistant producer Amanpreet Kaur.

These messages, said media reports, were accidentally linked to a BBC laptop where Miss Kaur stumbled across them and that formed the basis for the BBC to open a major investigation, including disciplinary action, against some of those involved. It is not clear how many people were part of the secret messaging groups but they included Asheesh Sharma and Kejal Kamani, two radio producers who routinely join Sandhu on air, and a disc jockey known as DJ Sachy. Sharma has been given a final written warning and Kamani has been fired, it is understood. DJ Sachy, who has worked at the station as a freelance for years, has been told he will not get any more shifts, insiders claimed.

Sources close to Sandhu claimed he did not make derogatory comments himself and was simply part of WhatsApp groups where some of the remarks were made. It’s understood that he didn’t object to comments and didn’t raise complaints but  was an active member of  the group. BBC Asian Network staff also used the messaging groups to make vile homophobic slurs, calling one colleague a ‘batty boy’ and used a highly offensive terms for homosexuals — using an Urdu/Hindi expression used by Pakistanis and Indians. They also accused a fellow radio host of being gay, even though he is married.

A BBC spokesman said: “We never comment on matters concerning any individuals working with the BBC. Any allegations of inappropriate behaviour would always be taken extremely seriously and would be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.”

The BBC Asian Network costs around £7.5 million a year to run and is listened to by nearly 650,000 people a week, according to latest figures. It was nearly shut in 2010 when it was pulling in just 477,000 listeners a week. The station was reprieved on the proviso it boosted ratings and slashed its budget.