BBC documentary row explained: Why 'India-The Modi Question' is sparking a political row between BJP, Congress

British news agency BBC recently released a documentary that stoked a massive controversy in India, sparking a political row between the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress over the decision not to screen the same in the country.

The controversial BBC documentary is titled ‘India: The Modi Question’, and it’s a two-part film series that focuses on certain aspects of the 2002 Gujarat riots when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state.

The BBC documentary claimed that it investigated certain parts of the violent and horrific riots in Gujarat, which was under the rule of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the time of the violence.

Issuing a tough response against ‘India: The Modi Question’, the Ministry of External Affairs termed the BBC documentary as a "propaganda piece" that lacked objectivity and reflected a "colonial mindset", blocking the screening of the documentary in the country.

Further, the Centre issued orders against Twitter accounts and YouTube channels that were showing clips or circulating the link to the controversial documentary by BBC, urging both social media handles to block the accounts in question.

The opposition Congress and TMC came down hard on the Centre’s decision, criticizing the Modi government for “censorship” of the documentary in the country. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien accused the government of imposing censorship.

Taking to Twitter, Jairam Ramesh said, “PM and his drumbeaters assert that the new BBC documentary on him is slanderous. Censorship has been imposed. Then why did PM Vajpayee want his exit in 2002, only to be pressured not to insist by the threat of resignation by Advani?”

Claiming that the documentary has “exposed” PM Modi, Derek O’Brien said, CENSORSHIP@Twitter @TwitterIndia HAS TAKEN DOWN MY TWEET of the #BBCDocumentary, it received lakhs of views. The 1 hr @BBC docu exposes how PM @narendramodi HATES MINORITIES.

Giving reasons for taking down the documentary, the sources said it was found to be undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India, and having the potential to adversely impact friendly relations with foreign states as also public order within the country.

(With inputs from PTI)

READ | BBC documentary row: Centre blocks tweets, YouTube videos sharing ‘India: The Modi Question’ clips