BJP, Cong spar over I-T surveys on BBC offices; UK-based broadcaster responds

New Delhi, Feb 14: The BJP on Tuesday slammed the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) calling it 'Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation' in the world amid the ongoing 'survey' operations on its offices in India by the IT department.

It accused the BBC of unleashing "venomous" reporting against India and alleged that its propaganda and the Congress' agenda go together. "Income Tax department lawfully carried out raids at the BBC office. The IT department is no longer the 'caged parrot' as the Supreme Court had said about government institutions during the Congress rule," BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Hitting out at the London-headquartered public broadcaster, he said BBC is the "most corrupt" organisation in the world, adding that the Congress should remember that the then prime minister Indira Gandhi had also banned the broadcaster.

"The BBC has become the most 'Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation' in the world. Unfortunately, BBC's propaganda and Congress' agenda are on the same lines. Today, India is attaining great heights under PM Modi's leadership and some sections do not like this. The BBC has all rights to do journalism in India, but they will have to abide by the law of the land," Bhatia said.

The BJP leader further claimed that BBC has a "tainted and black history of working with malice against India". He cited its past reports, including the one which described a terrorist as a "charismatic young militant" and allegedly called Holi a "filthy" festival, PTI reported.

"In one of its programmes, the BBC referred to a terrorist operating in Kashmir (slain LeT commander Burhaan Wani) as a charismatic young revolutionary. What kind of journalism is this? You (BBC) are working in India but trying to sabotage our Constitution. In another report, it said Holi is a 'filthy' festival. What do you (BBC) know about our festivals? In another report, they insulted our icons saying that Mahatma Gandhi failed to liberate India in 1946," Bhatia said.

It works in India, but has little regard for its constitution, he said. At a time when India is marching ahead globally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, there are many powers which do not like it, Bhatia said, claiming that the Congress, its leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties also feel the "pain" at the country's rise.

BBC Responds
Responding to the ongoing searches, the BBC tweeted, "The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating. We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible."

This development comes weeks after the UK's national broadcaster came up with a controversial series on the Indian Prime Minister.

Reactions
Accusing the opposition Congress of supporting "anti-national" forces, he said, "Your hate for Modi is so much that you politicise even a probe agency's work. You always question constitutional authorities like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission."

Earlier in the day, Income tax officials arrived at BBC offices around 11.30 am located at the national capital's KG Marg for the survey. The British broadcaster's office at Kalina Santacruz in Mumbai was also surveyed, sources said adding that the survey was limited to the business premises of BBC only. There is no IT activity at the BBC News office at Linking road Bandra West. It is understood that the tax officials are conducting verification of certain account documents in the finance department of the BBC offices, ANI reported.

On the other hand, the Congress took a swipe at the government over the Income Tax survey operation at the BBC offices, saying while they were demanding a JPC on the Adani issue, the Centre is after the BBC. The Income Tax Department on Tuesday conducted a survey operation at BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of a tax evasion investigation, officials said. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also used a Hindi idiom to attack the government, saying "Vinash Kale, Vipreet Buddhi" (when doom approaches, a person's intellect works against his interest). "Here we are demanding JPC on the Adani issue, but the government is after the BBC. Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi," Ramesh said.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the I-T surveys on the BBC and tweeted, "Time and again, there has been an assault on freedom of Press under Modi Govt. This is done with brazen & unapologetic vengeance to strangulate remotely critical voices. No Democracy can survive if institutions are used to attack Opposition & Media. People WILL resist this. [sic]"

With inputs from agencies