British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday came out in defence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a documentary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the 2002 Gujarat riots triggered a political storm. The documentary titled India: The Modi Question claimed that a probe team of the British government had held Modi, who was then the state’s chief minister, “directly responsible” for the riots.
"The UK government's position on that is clear and long standing, and it has not changed," Sunak said in response to a question raised by Pakistan-origin MP Imran Hussain on whether he agreed with the claims in the BBC programme.
"Of course, we do not tolerate persecution anywhere, but I am not sure that I agree at all with the characterisation that the hon. gentleman has put forward," the British prime minister said.
India has strongly criticised the documentary, calling it a “propaganda piece” designed to push a particular “discredited narrative”. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the documentary was a reflection on the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again.
“It makes us wonder about purpose of this exercise and agenda behind it,” Bagchi said, adding that bias, lack of objectivity and continuing colonial mindset were blatantly visible in the documentary.
The BBC, however, defended its programme, saying it was “rigorously researched” according to highest editorial standards.
"A wide range of voices, witnesses and experts were approached, and we have featured a range of opinions – this includes responses from people in the BJP. We offered the Indian Government a right to reply to the matters raised in the series – it declined to respond,” it said in a statement.
According to the first part of the documentary aired on Tuesday, the British inquiry team had found that Modi had prevented the Gujarat Police from acting to stop violence. The second part will be broadcast on next Tuesday. In India, however, YouTube had pulled down the video after mounting criticism.
Over a thousand people, mostly Muslims, were killed as large-scale communal violence broke out in Gujarat in February and March 2022 after the coach of a passenger train filled with Hindu pilgrims caught fire in Godhra.
A Special Investigation Team set up by the Supreme Court had claimed that there was no evidence to prosecute Modi and 63 others in the riots case. The top court accepted the report.
Last year, the apex court further dismissed a petition filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of Congress leader Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the violence, challenging the SIT report.
