A few weeks after the BBC aired a two-part documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’, its offices have been raided by IT. The opposition is attacking the Modi government regarding this raid.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of Income Tax Department in Delhi and Mumbai offices of raid But there has been an uproar. Political debate started regarding this raid. Now America has also given its response on this matter. The US has said that we are aware of the IT survey in BBC offices, but we are not in a position to pass any judgment at the moment. At the same time, the BBC has said on Raid that we are fully cooperating with the authorities and hope that the situation will return to normal ‘as soon as possible’.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US supports the importance of a free press around the world. Price said the US continues to highlight the need for freedom of expression and religion or belief as human rights that contribute to strengthening democracies around the world.
Global media organizations criticized
Global media organizations and human rights organizations have condemned the IT survey on BBC offices. They have said that this action has been taken with the intention of intimidation and it is an open insult to freedom of expression. New York-based independent non-profit organization Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged the Indian government to stop harassment of journalists. The raid on the BBC’s offices in the wake of a documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi smacks of intimidation, said Beh Lee Yee, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator.
Gross insult to freedom of expression – Amnesty International
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based organisation, tweeted, “The raid by Income Tax officials on the BBC’s offices in India, three weeks after the censorship of a documentary about Narendra Modi, appears to be outrageous retaliation.” RSF condemns these attempts by the Government of India to stifle any criticism. Amnesty International tweeted: These raids are a blatant affront to freedom of expression.
What did the Government of India say?
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that no one is above the law and the Income Tax Department will share details about the survey it has conducted at the BBC’s offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. He said that the Income Tax Department conducts surveys from time to time at such places where there are some irregularities.
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