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- Published: January 19, 2023 19:51
New Delhi: While the Indian government, in no uncertain terms, called out the biased & propaganda-centric nature of BBC documentary, the latter also didn’t find any favour from British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Rishi Sunak, speaking in the British Parliament, distanced himself from the BBC’s new series on PM Modi and also shut down Pakistan-origin UK PM, who sought to cast aspersions on Indian Prime Minister over Godhra riots.
The Pak-origin British MP raised the BBC documentary in UK Parliament, but got an immediate rejection from UK PM.
Defending PM Modi in British Parliament, UK PM Rishi Sunak said that he “doesn’t agree with the characterization” 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.
“He (PM Modi) was, in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s own words, directly responsible for this violence. Given that hundreds were brutally killed and that families across India and the world, including here in the UK, are still without justice, does the prime minister agree with his diplomats in the foreign office that Modi was directly responsible and what more does the foreign office know of his involvement in this grave act of ethnic cleansing?” asked Pak-origin MP Imran Hussain.
UK Government PM Rishi Sunak Criticizes BBC Report:
UK PM Rishi Sunak dismisses Pakistani-origin Imran Hussain, a British MP, appearing in the House in connection with an allegation against PM Modi, which was conducted by BBC. pic.twitter.com/Uu3O72g1tU
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To this, Sunak replied, “Mr Speaker, the UK government’s position on this has been clear and long standing and hasn’t changed. Of course, we don’t tolerate persecution anywhere, but I am not sure I agree at all with the characterization the honorable gentleman has put forward.”
BBC, UK’s national broadcaster, through its two-part documentary on PM Modi sought to revisit 2002 riots and the then BJP government’s ‘partisan’ role in handling the situation, based on an internal UK government report. The documentary sparked public anger and was subsequently pulled out from social media platforms.