On Wednesday in the House of Commons, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak backed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He didn’t agree with how Modi was portrayed in the BBC’s 2002 documentary series on the violence in Gujarat. Modi’s involvement in the racial conflicts in Gujarat in 2002 is questioned in the series, which has provoked uproar in India. Numerous individuals, predominantly Muslims, died as a consequence of the violence.
The BBC broadcast a documentary called “India: The Modi Question,” which sparked strong objections from India. The programme examined allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was involved in the 2002 riots and the conflicts between Modi and India’s Muslim population. The documentary also explored criticisms of Modi’s administration’s handling of India’s Muslim community and the controversial policies implemented after his re-election in 2019.
Imran Hussain, a Labour Party opposition member of Pakistani descent, emphasised the assertions made in the first half of the BBC programme at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons. He said that the degree of Narendra Modi’s role in the riots was known to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO). Sunak responded, “The UK government’s view on this has been clear and long-standing and hasn’t altered,” in response to Hussain’s query. Naturally, we do not condone persecution in any form, but I’m not sure I entirely concur with the description offered by the honourable gentleman.”
Leading British residents of Indian descent have criticised the series. Lord Rami Ranger, a member of the UK Parliament’s House of Lords, blamed the BBC for its new series criticising Prime Minister Modi. He tweeted: “@BBCNews Over a billion Indians have suffered tremendously due to your actions. “It denigrates the Indian courts, the Indian police, and the democratically chosen @PMOIndia.” “We deplore the rioting, the deaths they caused, and your biased reporting.”
In response to the BBC story, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs described it as a biassed copy. Arindam Bagchi, the spokeswoman, claimed that the documentary is a “propaganda piece” designed to promote a specific “discredited narrative.” He questioned its motivations and goals. The documentary “reflects the organisation and people peddling this myth again.” “We begin to question the exercise’s goal and the motivations behind it, and we want to give these efforts some respect,” Bagchi continued.
The BBC’s documentary series on the 2002 Gujarat riots has angered Indians and drawn criticism from famous Indian-origin British people and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. They have criticised it as biased and questioned its motivations. The series has also drawn criticism from the Indian government, which referred to it as “propaganda work.” The show investigates charges that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was involved in the 2002 riots, which left hundreds of people dead. It also examines tensions between Modi and India’s Muslim minority.
