Controversial BBC documentary to be screened in America before PM Modi’s visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to go on a state visit to America next week, but before PM Modi’s US visit, the controversial documentary made by BBC on PM Modi will be shown in America. According to reports, two ‘human rights groups’ have decided to screen the BBC documentary on the Indian Prime Minister.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have invited policy makers, journalists, and analysts to a private screening. The screening will be held in Washington on June 20, while US President Joe Biden has a dinner program for PM Modi at the White House on June 22.
After announcing the screening, Human Rights Watch said it wanted to serve as a reminder that the BBC documentary was banned in India.
What is the controversial BBC documentary?
Let us tell you that BBC had made a documentary named ‘India – The Question’, which is based on the 2002 riots in Gujarat. This documentary is of two parts, which focuses on the fact that PM Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat when riots took place in Gujarat, in which at least 1000 people were killed. However, many activists say that the death toll is much higher, most of whom were Muslims.
Riots broke out between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat when a train carrying kar sevaks from Ayodhya was set on fire at Godhra station and Muslims were blamed for setting the train on fire. 60 Hindu pilgrims were burnt to death when the train caught fire. Since this incident, riots broke out in many parts of Gujarat and Muslim shops and houses were burnt.
Allegations of his alleged role in communal violence have haunted PM Modi for years, due to which he was banned from the US. However, after becoming the Prime Minister, the US had lifted the ban on him.
In 2012, Narendra Modi was cleared of complicity in the violence by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court of India. The SIT told the Supreme Court that no evidence was found of any role of Narendra Modi in the riots.
PM Modi has denied the allegations
Narendra Modi has always denied the allegations of his role in the riots and the Supreme Court’s investigation team also said that no evidence was found to prosecute Narendra Modi.
The Indian government reacted angrily to the documentary, which was released in January. The Indian government called the BBC documentary a biased “propaganda piece” and banned the sharing of any clips of it on social media. The YouTube broadcast of the BBC documentary was also blocked in India.
The White House last month defended Modi’s proposed state visit when asked about human rights concerns in India. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden believes “this is an important relationship that we need to continue and maintain as it relates to human rights.”
At the same time, in the month of February, the Income Tax Department raided the offices of BBC in Delhi and Mumbai, which opposition parties in India and many journalists described as ‘revenge action’. However, a few days ago the BBC admitted that it had manipulated tax payments.
Let us tell you that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Australia recently, a controversial documentary was also organized in the Parliament complex of Australia, in which many human rights activists and social workers took part.
