News Cubic Studio

Truth and Reality

Modi, Gujarat riots… Rishi Sunak brushes off controversial BBC documentary

There has been a controversy over a documentary made by the British media BBC on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Many controversial claims have been made in this documentary regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots. The name of this BBC documentary is “India: The Modi Question”. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak himself has given clarification after the controversy over this series. At the same time, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has also given a sharp reaction, calling this BBC documentary a part of propaganda. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said it clearly reflected bias, lack of objectivity and a colonial mindset.

Rishi Sunak shies away from controversies

In the British Parliament, MP Imran Hussain asked British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak his views on this BBC documentary and the false allegations leveled against PM Modi. In response, Sunak said that he does not agree with such characterization. After becoming the Prime Minister of Britain, Rishi Sunak and PM Modi had their first meeting during the G-20 conference in Bali, Indonesia. During this, the two leaders discussed strengthening India-UK relations and increasing trade. Rishi Sunak has been in favor of good relations with India since the beginning. In such a situation, he would not like to spoil the relations between the two countries on the basis of a documentary.

Indian Foreign Ministry lashed out at BBC

India has described the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots as part of propaganda. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that it clearly reflected bias, lack of objectivity and a colonial mindset. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that this is a part of propaganda to push a false narrative. He also said that it makes us think about the purpose of this exercise and the agenda behind it. Bagchi said that this documentary shows the mindset of the agency and the people who are taking this narrative forward again.

What did the BBC say about the documentary

The BBC’s description of the series states that ‘a look at the tensions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s Muslim minority, investigating claims of his role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, which killed more than 1000 people.’ This documentary is being fiercely opposed not only in India but also in Britain. Many MPs of Britain have described it as spoiling the relations between the two countries. After the controversy, this BBC documentary has been removed from many platforms.

BBC urged to make “UK: The Churchill Question”

Opposing this documentary on social media, users wrote that BBC should run a series on the Bengal famine called “UK: The Churchill Question”. At the same time, others say that the BBC should focus on the problems of Britain, because it has lagged behind India in many respects. Another wrote that what Indians hate more than all their problems is being told by outsiders, especially by colonizers of the past.