Amid massive political controversy in India over the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots, a British MP said that the two-part series is “badly researched and completely exaggerated”.
The documentary “India: The Modi Question” reportedly claimed to have investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots when Prime Minister Modi was the chief minister of the state.
While several opposition parties in India came out in support of the series, the Ministry of External Affairs describes it as a “propaganda piece” that lacked objectivity and reflected a colonial mindset.
Speaking to News18, UK MP Blackman said that the series is a result of poor journalism and is “completely unjustified”.
The Centre last month reportedly issued directions for blocking Twitter posts and YouTube videos sharing links to the documentary. The directions on blocking access were understood to have been issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting using the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021.
Earlier, Russia came down heavily upon the UK-based broadcasting company as it described the two-party series as “evidence of BBC waging an information war” against “global centers of power”.
Criticising the series, the Russian Foreign Minister’s spokesperson said, “I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is yet another evidence of BBC waging an information war on different fronts – not only against Russia, but also against other global centers of power pursuing an independent policy.”
The spokesperson said that the BBC was being used as an instrument of the interests by some groups against others.
“After a certain number of years, it turns out that BBC is fighting even within the British establishment, being an instrument of the interests of some groups against others. It should be treated accordingly,” the spokesperson stressed.
Meanwhile, the Income Tax department on Tuesday conducted a ‘survey’ at BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai. The IT sleuths carried out the searches over allegations of international taxation and transfer pricing irregularities against the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).
