BBC Waging Information War: Russia On PM Modi Documentary

Moscow said the banned BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi is another evidence of the BBC waging an information war on different fronts and it turns out that the BBC is fighting even within the British establishment.

Russian Foreign Ministry's Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at MFA weekly press briefing in Moscow, commented on the BBC documentary and stated that the BBC is fighting even within the British establishment, acting as a tool of some factions against others.

During the weekly press briefing, Zakharov said, "I'm not sure if that is a question for us. First of all, it should be commented on in Delhi. Our Indian friends have already made a comment on this situation. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is yet another evidence of the BBC waging an information war on different fronts - not only against Russia, but also against other global centres of power pursuing an independent policy."

After a certain number of years, it turns out that the BBC is fighting even within the British establishment, being an instrument of the interests of some groups against others. It should be treated accordingly, she added, while responding to a media query on how the BBC blamed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 2002 Gujarat riots in its documentary.

The Russian MFA Spokeswoman further took a jibe at the British broadcaster and said that BBC is not an independent television and radio corporation, but a dependent one. It often neglects the basic requirements of the journalism profession, Zakharova said.

Last week, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price commented on the BBC documentary on PM Modi that sparked controversies since its release.

He said that he is familiar with the shared values that enact the United States and India as two thriving and vibrant democracies, but not so much with the documentary.

Addressing a press briefing on Monday (local time), Price said that there are numerous elements that bolster the US' global strategic partnership with India which include political, economic and exceptionally deep people-to-people ties.

"I'm not familiar with the documentary you're referring to. I am very familiar with the shared values that enact the United States and India as two thriving, vibrant democracies. When we have concerns about actions that are taken in India, we've voiced those we've had an occasion to do that," he said.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi and distanced himself from the BBC documentary series, saying he "doesn't agree with the characterisation" of his Indian counterpart.

Sunak made these remarks on the controversial documentary that was raised in the British Parliament by Pakistan-origin MP Imran Hussain.

"The UK government's position on this has been clear and longstanding and hasn't changed, of course, we don't tolerate persecution where it appears anywhere but I am not sure I agree at all with the characterisation that the honourable gentleman has put forward to," Sunak said while responding to Hussain's question on the BBC report.

UK's national broadcaster BBC aired a two-part series attacking PM Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister during the Gujarat riots of 2002. The documentary sparked outrage and was removed from select platforms.

The Ministry of External Affairs responded to the BBC story by claiming that it was entirely biased.

While addressing a weekly presser in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We think this is a propaganda piece. This has no objectivity. This is biased. Do note that this hasn't been screened in India.

We don't want to answer more on this so that this doesn't get much dignity."

He even raised questions on "the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it."

"The documentary is a reflection of the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. It makes us wonder about the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it; frankly, we do not wish to dignify these efforts," Bagchi added.

(With Inputs from ANI)

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