Guwahati: The Assam Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution demanding strict action against the British broadcaster BBC, over its documentary series ‘India: The Modi Question’.
The two-part documentary series raised questions over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attitude towards the Muslim minority and also highlighted allegations related to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
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The resolution was moved by BJP MLA Bhubon Pegu, who alleged that the BBC series had questioned India’s free press, judiciary and the legitimacy of its democratically elected government.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was defending the resolution, said that the BBC documentary was an attack on India’s judiciary and that it was a challenge to India.
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The resolution was passed after the opposition walked out of the Assembly in protest, claiming that they had demanded a screening of the documentary in the House before any discussion on the resolution took place.
The Centre had earlier used emergency provisions under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, to issue directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial documentary.
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A month later, a four-member team of the Income Tax department visited the BBC’s office in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).
In response to the Assam Legislative Assembly’s resolution and the searches at the BBC’s Mumbai office, David Rutley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the FCDO, said in February that the UK stood up for the BBC, funded the BBC and wanted the BBC to have its editorial freedom.