'This is politics by another means': EAM Jaishankar on BBC series on PM Modi

S Jaishankar questioned the timing of BBC series while wondering why there is no documentary on 1984 Sikh riots.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has termed BBC's series against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "politics by another means".

In an exclusive interview with ANI, the EAM said that "actual politics" is being conducted "ostensibly as media" by people who do not have the "courage to come into the political field.

"Sometimes politics of India doesn't even originate in its borders, it comes from outside. We are not debating just a documentary or a speech that somebody gave in a European city or a newspaper edits somewhere -- we are debating, actually, politics, which is being conducted ostensibly as media -- there is a phrase 'war by other means' this is politics by another means -- I mean you will do a hatchet job, you want to do a hatchet job and say this is just another quest for truth which we decided after 20 years to put at this time," he said.

The EAM also questioned the timing of the series as India is prepping up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "I mean, come on, you think timing is accidental! Let me tell you one thing - I don't know if the election season has started in India, Delhi or not, but, for sure it has started in London, New York," he added.

The BBC, which has all along attempted to isolate Hindus by selectively reporting crimes against Hindus, came up with a series that discusses PM Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. The Opposition parties used the opportunity to target the government.

On asking about the western media's bias towards India and PM Modi, he said, "I mean, do you doubt it? Look who the cheerleaders are. What is happening is, just like I told you -- this drip, drip, drip -- how do you shape a very extremist image of India, of the government, of the BJP, of the Prime Minister. I mean, this has been going on for a decade,"

He stated that the intention behind spreading such stories is to further the anti-India agenda. "Let's not have illusions about it..., there is an echo chamber, it will be picked outside and then they will say it is being said outside, it must be true. Then you will say it inside. There is a ding-dong going on, look this is a globalized world, people take that politics abroad," said the Minister.

The EAM added, "Why suddenly there is a surge of reports and attention and views? I mean, were some of these things not happening earlier. Many things happened in Delhi in 1984, why don't we see a documentary on that? If that was your concern, you suddenly feel one day, I am very humanistic, I must get justice for people who have been wronged, "

"This is politics at play by people who do not have the courage to come into the political field. They want to have that teflon cover saying that I am an NGO, media organisation etc. They are playing politics," Jaishankar further added.

Meanwhile, BBC offices in Mumbai and Delhi came under the scanner of the Income Tax department as the central agency carried out surveys recently.