A BC Punjabi radio station host has been suspended for his on-air comments while discussing a domestic violence case outside New York that has garnered international attention. Mandeep Kaur, 30, took her own life in New York last week after posting a video online in which she accused her husband of beating her for years. Kaur, originally from Uttar Pradesh, India, shared photos of bruises, a video in which he appears to be strangling or suffocating her and a final video in which she blames her husband for her decision to kill herself, leaving behind the two her daughters, ages six and four.
Read more: Domestic violence concerns on the rise in B.C. as the husband is accused of the wife’s death
Story continues below ad Kaur’s video message sparked conversation about domestic violence in the South Asian community around the world, including here in BC. While discussing the issue Thursday afternoon, Sher-E-Punjab AM 600 radio host Paul Brar suggested on air that those commenting on the high-profile case should not air personal matters and that Kaur’s husband’s side should not has yet to be seen. heard. “We should also listen to men’s voices,” Brar said in Punjabi, and that just because someone claims to have been beaten and abused, it doesn’t make it true. “To these women of the Kaur Movement, please do not tear apart homes,” she said.
Read more: Man charged after police say Abbotsford, BC woman killed in domestic incident
On Friday morning, the Richmond-based station apologized to its listeners and said Brar had been suspended. “Radio Sher E Punjab management and staff do not condone or condone violence in any form and strongly oppose any form of bullying targeting women, the elderly, children and the most vulnerable among us,” it said on Twitter. “Recently comments have been made on this station that some have interpreted as holding the opposite of that value… We apologize for any offense received and assure all of our listeners that we take this matter very seriously.” Story continues below ad The tweet also said the station was investigating Brar’s statements and that he would remain suspended until a review was completed. 2:13 Concern is growing over recent cases of violence against women in BC. Read more: COVID-19: BC details troubling ‘shadow pandemic’ of intimate partner violence “We’ve taken quick action, we’ve suspended the host, we’re looking into it. It is in the hands of our lawyers and I cannot comment further,” Gurdial Badh, station manager, told Global News. The radio station has covered issues of domestic abuse in the past, which is not unique to the South Asian community, he added, and we will do “everything we can to be accountable to our listeners and our audience.” The Kaur Movement, an organization that supports victims of sexual and domestic violence, has compiled a series of photos and videos of Kaur on its website. He has also posted several updates on the case and is calling for accountability and justice for Kaur. Story continues below ad Founder Gurpreet Kaur, no relation, accused Brar of “making fun” of abuse victims and said his comments hurt others who called her saying they regretted coming. 2:08 Kamaljit Sandhu’s murder highlights issues of intimate partner violence Kamaljit Sandhu’s murder highlights issues of intimate partner violence – July 31, 2022 “(Mandeep Kaur) needs justice and she is not getting it,” Gurpreet Kaur said. “Now she’s dead and can’t stand up for herself, so we’re trying to do this for her and instead of helping her, you’re making fun of victims of abuse.” Brar should have been fired, she added, and called on him to make a public apology. Maneet Abrol, an American singer and podcast host with more than 80,000 Instagram followers, has also come out against Brar. He questioned why Brar believed people should be quiet about domestic abuse issues, as well as Brar’s claims that there is not enough evidence to show that the husband is at fault. Story continues below ad “The proof is out there. A person is dead and you still wonder what the person did even after the facts are revealed?’ he said in a Thursday Instagram post. “The truth would never actually come out if they didn’t speak up.” If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive situation, visit the Canadian Resource Center for Victims of Crime for help. They can also be reached toll free at 1-877-232-2610. The Battered Women’s Support Services crisis line (1-855-687-1868) is available 24 hours a day for anyone who needs emotional support or practical help. Crisis responders are also available 24 hours a day at Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
