'Propaganda piece, designed to push...': India lashes out at BBC documentary on PM Modi

According to BBC, the series will examine how "Narendra Modi's premiership has been dogged by persistent allegations about the attitude of his government towards India's Muslim population".

New Delhi, Jan 19: India on Thursday said a recently broadcast BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which questions his leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots, was "propaganda".

"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 and continuing colonial mindset is blatantly visible," MEA said on the BBC documentary on PM Modi.

"If anything, this film or documentary is a reflection on the agency & individuals that are peddling this narrative again. It makes us wonder about the purpose of this exercise &the agenda behind it. Frankly, we don't wish to dignify such efforts," he added.

With its bigoted agenda, the BBC, which has all along attempted to isolate hindus by selectively reporting crimes in which the alleged accused were reportedly Hindus and referred to it as a 'hate crime' has come up with a series that discusses PM Modi's role in 2002 Gujarat riots.

"A look at the tensions between Indian PM and India's Muslim minority, investigating claims about his role in 2002 riots that left over a thousand dead," says the description of the series.

This has angered Indians, who advised the BBC to run a series on the Bengal Famine called "UK: The Churchill Question".

"Is this another attempt to discredit India, and its Hindu people?? All this documentary is going to do is cause more tension between the Hindus and Muslims in the UK," wrote a Twitter user.

"One thing Indians hate more than all their problems is being told by outsiders, specially past colonisers," another wrote.

"BBC is scared shit that at the rate India is progressing under Modi, someday an Indian conglomerate will take it over like NDTV. Get lost BBC! We don't need your education," another wrote along with #BanBBC in India.

The series will examine how "Narendra Modi's premiership has been dogged by persistent allegations about the attitude of his government towards India's Muslim population" and "a series of controversial policies" implemented by Modi following his 2019 re-election, including "the removal of Kashmir's special status guaranteed under Article 370" and "a citizenship law that many said treated Muslims unfairly", which "has been accompanied by reports of violent attacks on Muslims by Hindus," the BBC states.

The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson also noted that the documentary has not been screened in India.

UK PM Rishi Sunak defends Modi

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come out in defence of Prime Minister Modi after the controversial BBC documentary claimed that the British government was aware about the Indian leader having an alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Sunak said he does not agree with the characterisation of Prime Minister Modi by Pakistani-origin Imran Hussain, an Opposition Labour Party MP, when he asked if the British Premier agreed with claims in the BBC programme that some UK Foreign Office diplomats believed that "Modi was directly responsible".