UK MP Bob Blackman from the Conservative party has slammed the controversial BBC documentary that features allegations about Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat's state chief during the communal violence in the state back in 2002, commonly referred to as the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The Indian Information and Broadcasting Ministry blocked the airing of the scandalous documentary in the country last month.
Blackman lamented that the BBC film, “India: The Modi Question,” should have never been released.
In an interview with an India news agency, Blackman stated that the documentary failed to look at the “all-important fact” that the Supreme Court of India did investigate the claims against then-Gujarat state chief Narendra Modi in connection with the 2002 riots, and found there was not a shred of evidence to support them.
The Conservative parliamentarian further stated that as the State Chief, Modi looked to additional police resources, not only within Gujarat state but beyond, and eventually called in the army to help quell the riots which broke out after a train carrying Hindu pilgrims was set on fire.
He concluded that the people behind the documentary were merely trying to transmit an opinion which they wished others to accept.
“They showed a film of him making appeals for calm and encouraging people to not to riot.... (they) put a whole series of different montages together with different people... I don't know people involved but it was clear they had an axe to grind against Modi,” Blackman said.
Surveys at BBC Offices in India
Commenting on the “surveys” conducted by the Indian Income Tax Department at the BBC offices in India, the British parliamentarian said there was, in fact, nothing new or special about them.
Indian tax officials on Tuesday initiated surveys at the Delhi and Mumbai offices of the British broadcaster in view of its “deliberate non-compliance” with the “Transfer Pricing Rules and its vast diversion of profits.” The survey concluded late Thursday.
“There have been discussions between the income tax authorities in India and the BBC and the broadcaster has to follow the relevant rules and regulations,” Blackman stated.
"Obviously, this is a survey where the income tax authorities have looked to gather the evidence to establish if the BBC is doing anything wrong, I would say quite openly, this is the BBC's job and operating within India, is to make sure they are caught with the rules and regulations, and I am sure it will be cleared up very quickly. But you know that's up to the tax authorities so... (for) BBC to make sure they are caught up with the rules that operate here," he said.