India on January 19 denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described it as a “propaganda piece” that is designed to push a discredited narrative.
The BBC documentary ‘The Modi Question’ questions PM Narendra Modi’s leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The series descriptor calls it a “look at tensions between Indian PM Narendra Modi and India’s Muslim minority, investigating claims about his role in the 2002 riots that left over a thousand dead.”
Slamming BBC, Arindam Bagchi spokesperson of the Ministry of External, said, “We think that this is a propaganda piece, designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias, lack of objectivity and continuing colonial mindset is blatantly visible.”
Arindam Bagchi also mentioned that the documentary has not been screened in India, “If anything, this film or documentary is a reflection on the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. It makes us wonder about the purpose of this exercise and the agenda behind it. Frankly, we don’t wish to dignify such efforts.”
Do note that this has not been screened in India…We think that this is a propaganda piece, designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias, lack of objectivity & continuing colonial mindset is blatantly visible: MEA on the BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/BImPzX9LUX
— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2023
On January 17, BBC released a docuseries called ‘India: The Modi Question’. The episode was removed from YouTube the next day. The second episode is scheduled to be released on January 24. The series looks into Narendra Modi’s time as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also dismissed the portrayal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a BBC documentary.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, reacting to a Pakistan-origin MP’s question in the British parliament on the series, said he “doesn’t agree with the characterisation” of PM Modi.
Lord Rami Ranger, a member of the House of Lords of the UK Parliament, condemned BBC’s documentary and said it would hurt over a billion Indians as it insults democratically elected PM Modi and also the Indian judiciary.
“@BBCNews, You have caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians. It insults a democratically elected @PMOIndia, Indian Police & the Indian judiciary. We condemn the riots and loss of life & also condemn your biased reporting,” Rami Ranger tweeted.
@BBCNews You have caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians🇮🇳 It insults a democratically elected @PMOIndia Indian Police & the Indian judiciary. We condemn the riots and loss of life & also condemn your biased reporting https://t.co/n38CTu07Il
— Lord Rami Ranger CBE (@RamiRanger) January 18, 2023
It is to be noted that several courts, including the Apex Court, have ruled on multiple occasions that the Gujarat riots were brought under control quickly by the then BJP Government.
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