International
oi-Prakash KL
London,
Jan
19:
UK
Prime
Minister
Rishi
Sunak
on
Thursday
came
to
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi’s
support
over
the
BBC’s
controversial
documentary
series,
saying
he
“doesn’t
agree
with
the
characterization”
of
his
Indian
counterpart.
The
issue
was
raised
by
Pakistan-origin
MP
Imran
Hussain
in
the
UK
Parliament.
“The
UK
government’s
position
on
this
has
been
clear
and
long-standing
and
hasn’t
changed,
of
course,
we
don’t
tolerate
persecution
where
it
appears
anywhere
but
I
am
not
sure
I
agree
at
all
with
the
characterization
that
the
honourable
gentleman
has
put
forward
to,”
ANI
quoted
Sunak
as
saying
while
responding
to
Hussain’s
question
on
the
BBC
report.
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.
Following
the
outage,
the
documentary
removed
it
from
select
platforms.
UK
Government
PM
Rishi
Sunak
Criticizes
BBC
Report:UK
PM
Rishi
Sunak
dismisses
Pakistani-origin
Imran
Hussain,
a
British
MP,
appearing
in
the
House
in
connection
with
an
allegation
against
PM
Modi,
which
was
conducted
by
BBC.
pic.twitter.com/Uu3O72g1tU—
𝐊𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐥
𝐊𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐫
(@kapilkumaron)
January
19,
2023
The
series
examines
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.
Meanwhile,
the
Ministry
of
External
Affairs
has
lashed
out
at
the
series
calling
it
a
“propaganda
piece.”
“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,”
ANI
quoted
External
Affairs
Ministry
spokesperson
Arindam
Bagchi
as
saying.
“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.
Referring
to
apparent
remarks
made
by
former
UK
Secretary
Jack
Straw
in
the
documentary
series,
Bagchi
said
“He
(Jack
Straw)
seems
to
be
referring
to
some
internal
UK
report.
How
do
I
have
access
to
that?
It’s
a
20-year-old
report.
Why
would
we
jump
on
it
now?
Just
because
Jack
says
it
how
do
they
lend
it
that
much
legitimacy.”
“I
heard
words
like
inquiry
and
investigations.
There
is
a
reason
why
we
use
the
colonial
mindset.
We
don’t
use
words
loosely.
What
inquiry
they
were
diplomats
there…investigation,
are
they
ruling
the
country?
Bagchi
asked.
