The Indian government has used emergency powers to block clips of a BBC documentary on Modi from being shared online. The two-part documentary questions Modi’s leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
It alleges that he ordered police to turn a blind eye to Hindu mobs targeting Muslim households. The government says the programme is propaganda and lacks objectivity.
Narendra Modi’s Rise To Power
India’s thin-skinned Prime Minister Narendra Modi is having a hard time taking criticism, even from a global media outlet like the BBC. That’s because the BBC has just aired a documentary that questions his leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots, in which more than 1,000 people were killed. The documentary has drawn strong reactions from both Indians and international critics.
The documentary examines Modi’s role in the violence that followed the bombing of a train carrying Hindu pilgrims. It accuses the PM of ignoring evidence of complicity by his government and ruling party, and promoting an atmosphere of hate and impunity. The film also accuses the BJP and its allied organisations of using the riots to boost their electoral fortunes.
Indian officials have reacted sharply to the bbc documentary on modi. Income tax agents searched the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai, and a financial crime agency opened an investigation into the broadcaster for alleged violations of foreign exchange rules. A government adviser said the inspections were not “vindictive”. The BBC has defended the documentary, saying it was rigorously researched and did not have an agenda.
India has invoked emergency laws to block links and clips of the documentary on YouTube and Twitter, but enterprising Indians can still access it by using VPNs or trading flash drives. In addition, student groups in the southern state of Kerala have announced plans to stage wildcat screenings. Local BJP leaders have denounced the plans.
The documentary is a sobering reminder of the role of Hindu nationalism and authoritarian politics in modern India. While the country is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, the poverty rate is climbing and the middle class is shrinking. In addition, corruption and social injustice are pervasive, and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. Many Indians are frustrated with their government’s failure to address these problems. They are also angry about the recent currency ban, which wiped out billions of dollars in undeclared wealth, and are frustrated by slow progress on the promise of affordable healthcare. The BJP’s policies and rhetoric appeal to these grievances.
The 2002 Gujarat Riots
The BBC documentary India: The Modi Question explores allegations that India’s prime minister led the state of Gujarat during riots in 2002 in which at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed. Activists put the number more than double that. The documentary also discusses claims that the government failed to protect Muslims and allowed Hindu mobs to burn mosques, kill Muslim men, women and children, destroy Muslim homes, schools and businesses and erase Muslim graves. Modi has denied the accusations, and a Supreme Court-ordered investigation found insufficient evidence to prosecute him.
The documentary’s release has prompted criticism from the Indian government and rightwing social media users. Modi’s government accuses the BBC of promoting anti-India sentiments and says it has damaged the country’s international image. It has asked Twitter and YouTube to block clips of the documentary using emergency powers, though the clips have not been removed.
A secret report by the British foreign ministry described the violence as “ethnic cleansing” and said that the state government had connived in it. The report, which was made public in 2004, concluded that the riots were politically motivated and designed to wipe out Muslims. According to the document, police officers reportedly told victims that they had no orders to save them. The document also quotes a senior diplomat who says that the violence was part of a “deliberately organised and politically driven campaign to purge Muslims from Hindu areas.”
Modi’s government has been thin-skinned to criticism of its policies, but the BBC’s documentary has hit home for many Indians. They say it is unsettling to see their country being portrayed in the West as one of the world’s most authoritarian regimes when there is so much evidence of its discrimination against minorities, especially Muslims.
The BJP’s strategy has been to try to deflect attention from these allegations by portraying Modi as a global economic leader, which could help it build trade deals and secure strategic partnerships with the US and Europe. The documentary highlights the alleged mistreatment of the country’s minority groups at a time when Modi is courting western countries for trade deals and closer ties.
The BJP’s Rise To Power
The documentary focuses on Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, which killed more than 1,000 people—mainly Muslims. It cites a British Foreign Office report that held him “directly responsible” for the climate of impunity that allowed the violence to occur. Although the BBC has not aired the documentary in India, many viewers have staged private screenings. Students at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, for example, gathered to watch it at a campus theater in defiance of the government’s ban. But police soon swooped in, shutting the campus gates and cutting off electricity. They were subsequently attacked by rightwing extremists who shouted slogans about “treason.”
Despite the outrage, the BBC has stood by the documentary, which it says was “rigorously researched according to the highest editorial standards.” The company said it had removed videos of the programme from YouTube, which complied with India’s requests under a cluster of emergency laws. But users with virtual private networks (VPNs) and flash drives have been able to circumvent the block by searching online for the film.
While the documentary’s focus on Modi’s personal conduct and his relationship with India’s Muslim community is the most compelling aspect of its story, it also highlights how a small group of influential Indian leaders is using Hindu nationalism to expand the party’s appeal beyond rural and urban areas. The BJP, once known as the party of the elite, has become a national force with support from lower-income communities and is challenging the dominance of its regional rivals.
Its popularity has grown in every sphere, including women, youth and rural populations, as well as socially and economically disadvantaged groups such as scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and other backward classes. Its supporters include members of minority religious communities as well. But the BJP’s rise has not been without controversy, with critics accusing it of authoritarian politics and of neglecting democracy. And it has come under increasing scrutiny as India makes its case to the West as an emerging global power and major ally. It is a challenge that the BJP will need to address if it wants to retain its support at home.
The BBC Documentary
The BBC is the cornerstone of UK media, but it has a checkered history when it comes to impartiality. It has been accused of bias in the past, and its chairman is currently under investigation over claims that he helped Boris Johnson secure a loan. The BBC’s reputation in India has also taken a beating over the controversial documentary on Modi, with its offices being raided by Indian tax officials. The two-part series, India: The Modi Question, examines rising tensions between the Indian prime minister and the country’s Muslim minority. Its reporting has riled the government and prompted a backlash on social media.
The documentary focuses on Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, which left more than 1,000 people dead, mostly Muslims. It criticizes the PM for failing to stop the violence, citing a report from the UK Foreign Office that held him “directly responsible” for the deaths. The Indian government has condemned the documentary as propaganda and has used its emergency powers to block links on YouTube and Twitter. But people are still finding ways to watch it, using VPNs and trading flash drives.
As the controversy grows, the BBC has faced increasing pressure from right-wing political figures and social media accounts to remove the documentary from its platforms. The BBC has responded by saying that the program was “rigorously researched according to the highest editorial standards and took into account a wide range of voices, witnesses and experts (including responses from people in the BJP).”
It’s not the first time the BBC has run into trouble in India. Last year, the corporation came under fire after a report by journalist Rohit Shetty revealed that the BBC had failed to follow its own guidelines on objectivity. The BBC was fined more than £1million and reprimanded by UK media watchdog Ofcom for the breach.
As India’s government continues to slam the BBC for its coverage of the Modi riots, the two countries are headed toward a standoff that could disrupt their ties. Both sides have accused the other of a colonial mindset, and a clash over the documentary is only likely to heighten those tensions.
Conclusion
The BBC documentary on Modi presented a comprehensive exploration of the life and political journey of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It highlighted his rise from humble beginnings to the country’s leadership, while also scrutinizing the controversies surrounding his tenure. The documentary provided valuable insights into one of India’s most influential and polarizing figures.
FAQs:
- What was the main focus of the BBC documentary on Modi? The main focus of the BBC documentary on Modi was to delve into the life and political career of Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. It covered his early years, rise to power, leadership style, and the controversies surrounding his government.
- Did the documentary present a balanced view of Narendra Modi’s tenure? The documentary made an effort to present a balanced view of Narendra Modi’s tenure as Prime Minister. It showcased both the positive aspects of his leadership, such as economic reforms and infrastructure development, as well as the controversies and criticism his government faced on issues like religious tensions and freedom of expression. However, opinions on the balance of the presentation may vary among viewers.
