BJP Accuses BBC of ‘Venomous’ Reporting on India, Opposition Says I-T Raids Obvious

New Delhi: As the Income Tax officials begin ‘survey’ at the BBC offices in the national capital and Mumbai on Tuesday, the Opposition parties targeted the Centre and claimed they were not surprised and they had seen this coming. The British broadcaster was caught in the crosshairs of the government after airing the ‘India: The Modi Question’ — a two-part documentary series putting spotlight on PM Modi’s leadership during 2002 Godhra riots.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra took potshots at the BJP government and said I-T raids are being conducted at BBC office while the Chairman of Adani Group was served ‘farsaan’ (snacks) when he visited the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) office. Adani Group has been accused of accounting fraud and manipulating stocks by the US-based short-seller Hindenburg firm. 

Reports of Income Tax raid at BBC's Delhi office

Wow, really? How unexpected.

Meanwhile farsaan seva for Adani when he drops in for a chat with Chairman @SEBI_India office.

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) February 14, 2023

Reacting to the I-T raids, the senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the Centre should have directed its attention towards probing the Adani issue but it is going after the international news network. 

विनाश काले विपरीत बुद्धि pic.twitter.com/bSFGHLjYOD

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 14, 2023

The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said the government’s action against the British broadcaster was obvious. 

Cause & effect of raids on the BBC Office is quite obvious. GOI is brazenly hounding those who speak the truth. Be it opposition leaders, media, activists or anyone else for that matter. The gloves are off & there is a price one pays for fighting for truth. https://t.co/VPUnEs27EB

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 14, 2023

Meanwhile, the BJP has slammed the BBC network and called it ‘the most corrupt organisation in the world’ and also targeted Congress saying the grand old party supports ‘anti-India’ narratives. BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told the reporters that the BBC was unleashing ‘venomous’ reporting against India. 

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