Amid a huge political furore over the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought to back the controversial two-part series, saying that the truth has a way of coming out.
“If you read our scriptures, Bhagwat Gita, Upanishads, you will see truth cannot be hidden. The truth always comes out. You can ban or use institutions, you can use CBI, Enforcement Directorate but the truth shines bright, it has a nasty way of coming out,” the Congress leader said while addressing a press conference on the sidelines of Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The two-part BBC 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.
The Centre last week 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.
The documentary has evoked sharp reactions from the opposition leaders who have been cornering the Modi government over the series.
Govt calls documentary a ‘propaganda piece’
The Ministry of External Affairs has described the BBC documentary as a “propaganda piece” that lacked objectivity and reflected a colonial mindset.
“Let me just make it very clear that we think this is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias, the lack of objectivity, and frankly a continuing colonial mindset, are blatantly visible,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi had said on Thursday responding to questions on the documentary.
According to sources, the documentary is reviewed by senior officials of several ministries, including external affairs, home affairs, and information and broadcasting, who found it to be an attempt to cast aspersions on the authority and credibility of the Supreme Court, sow divisions among various Indian communities, and make unsubstantiated allegations regarding actions of foreign governments in India.
The officials said that the documentary was found to be undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India, and has the potential to adversely impact friendly relations with foreign states as also public order within the country, PTI reported.
