New Delhi: British MP Bob Blackman has described the BBC documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “propaganda video” and a “disgraceful example of cheap journalism” and said it should never have been aired.
The documentary does not reflect “all the important facts” that the Supreme Court of India examined the claims against Narendra Modi in connection with the 2002 riots.
In an interview, Blackman also spoke about the issue of “around reviewing British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) tax cases” in the context of income tax department surveys at its offices in India and said “this is nothing new and it has been done before.
He said discussions have been held between income tax authorities and the BBC in India and the broadcaster has to follow the relevant rules and regulations. Blackman said that the views shown in it are not of the Uk government.
Blackman is a member of the ruling Conservative and is an MP from Harrow East. He said that as chief minister of Gujarat in 2002, Narendra Modi had tried his best to pacify the riots. Blackman accused the BBC of casting aspersions on the documentary and said it was “deeply regrettable” as it appeared as if the BBC had an agenda to disrupt UK-India relations. “I think it’s a shame,” he said.
Noting that the British government considers India a strong friend and a strong ally and the two countries were negotiating a trade deal, he said anything that impeded the process was extremely regrettable.
The British MP said the Indian government has done a remarkable job under PM Modi to transform the country’s economy and it is on its way to becoming the world’s leading economy. Blackman said the BBC video on PM Modi was “full of ridicule” and was produced by an outside organisation.