Opposition parties were quick to link the I-T action against the BBC to its documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots. The BJP said the ‘timing of the I-T action was not decided by the government’ and said the broadcaster did ‘venomous and shallow’ reporting on India.
BBC office building, where a survey operation is being conducted by Income Tax Department officials as part of a tax evasion investigation, at KG Marg in New Delhi, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. (PTI Photo)
By India Today Web Desk: The Income Tax department’s surveys at the BBC’s Delhi and Mumbai offices on Tuesday drew strong reactions from the Opposition, which branded the move as “heights of dictatorship” of the government. The BJP, in its turn, accused the British broadcaster of unleashing “venomous” propaganda against India and the I&B Minister said “no one was above the law”.
The income tax (I-T) surveys came weeks after the British broadcaster released a controversial documentary, ‘India: The Modi Question’, the access to which on social media platforms was barred by the government.
Opposition parties linked the I-T action to the BBC documentary, which was on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The BJP said the “timing of the I-T action was not decided by any government or outside power” and the department should be allowed to do its work.
Also Read | BBC in the news: From Gujarat documentary row to income tax survey
“Time and again, there has been an assault on freedom of the Press under the Modi government. This is done with brazen and unapologetic vengeance to strangulate remotely critical voices,” said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that the I-T action showed that the BJP-led central government had reached the “heights of dictatorship”.
“First, imposed a ban on the BBC documentary. Now raids at their offices. Don’t forget Modi ji, Hitler’s dictatorship also came to an end. Your dictatorship will also end,” tweeted AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. “Modi ji, you have reached the heights of dictatorship,” Singh, who is also AAP’s national spokesperson, added.
“First ban BBC documentaries. No JPC/inquiry into Adani exposures. Now IT raids on BBC offices! India: ‘Mother of democracy’?” said CPM’s Sitaram Yechury taking a dig at PM Modi, who often uses the phrase “mother of democracy”.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra too asked if the “raids” on the BBC offices would be followed by one on “Mr A” in an apparent dig at Adani Group chief Gautam Adani.
Also Read | ‘Fully cooperating’: BBC responds after I-T sleuths reach its Delhi, Mumbai offices
The BJP tried to counter all the criticism by saying that the BBC was “most corrupt” and accused it of unleashing “venomous” propaganda against India.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that the Income Tax department conducts surveys from time to time when it suspects any irregularities. “After conducting surveys I-T issues a detailed press release. No is above the law in our nation,” Thakur tweeted.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the I-T action was lawful and attacked the Opposition for giving the BBC a “clean chit” without the agency having concluded its probe. Bhatia said the issue shouldn’t be politicised.
The BBC does “venomous and shallow” reporting on India, Bhatia alleged. He claimed that the British broadcaster has a “tainted and black history of working with malice against India”.
“If any agency or company operates in India whether it is connected to media or other work, it will have to abide by the local laws,” BJP’s Bhatia said while addressing the media.
He also lashed out against the main Opposition party for backing the British broadcaster. “BBC propaganda and Congress agenda go together. The Congress should remember that its own leader and former prime minister Indira Gandhi had imposed a ban on the BBC,” the BJP leader said.
“Why can’t they wait? Why is the Congress always standing with the anti-national forces,” Bhatia added.
He cited BBC’s past reports, including the one which described a terrorist as a “charismatic young militant”, a likely reference to slain terror operative Burhan Wani, and allegedly called Holi a “filthy” festival.
