BBC Radio Show Caller Abuses PM Modi's Mother, #BoycottBBC Trends In India

BBC Radio Show: #boycottBBC trends on Twitter after it aired one of its callers using offensive remarks against PM Narendra Modi's mother.

A recent episode of BBC Asian Network radio show has sparked outrage in Indian social media on Wednesday after a speaker on the show abused the mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi using expletives. An audio clip of the recorded slurs surfaced on Twitter and many users have slammed BBC. Consequently, #boycottBBC has also started trending on the social media platform.

@BritIndianVoice @HCI_London

Did anyone hear the whole show ? pic.twitter.com/W1R1J8lndC

— Sunny Johal (@DatchetTrainMan) March 1, 2021

The programme, aired on March 1, was hosted by anchor Priya Rai on BBC Sounds. The show was discussing the topic of racism against Sikhs and Indians in the United Kingdom. The show also featured immigration lawyer Harjap Bhangal and entertained calls from listeners and let them express their views on the topic discussed on the show.

During the discussion, the train of conversation shifted to the on-going farmers protest in India. In the course, one of the callers used offensive slurs against PM and his 99-year old mother Heeraben Modi.

Although the host intervened and stopped the caller from any abusing any further, the show went ahead and aired the audio and kept it up and available for others to listen.

This incident reached social media and has created havoc since then. Thousands of Internet users have demanded action against the caller and also criticised and slammed BBC for airing the objectionable words, which has ultimately led to the new trend of #boycottBBC.

Absolutely abhorrent language 😠

— ajay jobanputra (@jobanputra_ajay) March 2, 2021

In fact, BJP Delhi's spokesperson Tajinder Bagga went on to tweet about 'banning' BBC.

I don't agree with #BoycottBBC
It should be #BanBBC

— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) March 3, 2021

Reaction of BBC and the show's host

After the outrage, the BBC network edited the programme and removed the offensive remarks against PM Modi's mother.

Moreover, the host of the show Priya Rai had also issued an apology in the show, stating, "Before we carry on though, we would like to apologise for some of the offensive language used by the guest on the show earlier. It’s a live show and we discuss controversial issues often. There was no reason for the type of language that was used and I would like to say sorry again for any offence that was caused."

 

Feature Image Credits: Andhra Vishesh