British TV documentary on India’s Modi sparks controversy

A new BBC series called “India: The Modi Question” that puts under scrutiny Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach towards India’s Muslim population has fuelled controversy, sparking backlash from twitter users of Indian origin. 

The first episode of the two-part series aired on Tuesday, and the second part is due to be broadcast next week on January 24.

“Narendra Modi’s premiership has been dogged by persistent allegations about the attitude of his Government towards India’s Muslim population. This series investigates these allegations and examines Modi’s backstory, as well as other questions about his politics when it comes to India’s largest religious minority,” BBC said.

In the first episode of the series, BBC investigates Modi’s rise through the ranks of the leading right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leading up to his appointment as the Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat in 2001. That’s where the controversy starts.

Modi’s term in Gujarat was tarnished by the 2002 Gujarat riots which were triggered when a train carrying Hindu pilgrims was burnt, with 59 people reported dead and the blame cast on Muslims.

Violence erupted in the days of rioting that followed. Up to 2,000 people - a vast majority of whom consisted of Muslims that were targeted by the Hindu population - were killed, tens of thousands were displaced, and hundreds of mosques and dargahs were destroyed.

The BJP government of Gujarat drew heavy criticism for its disdain in containing the organised massacre against the Muslim minority.

Modi’s long debated role in the riots, with some accusing the then-chief minister of holding direct responsibility to the point of effectively endorsing the bloodshed, became the focus of the BBC series’ first episode.

“The episode examines in detail accusations that Mr Modi failed to take sufficient action to ensure the protection of Muslims during the riots and discovers new evidence provided to western diplomats who criticised his conduct and uncovers first-hand testimonies,” BBC said.

“All allegations have been denied by the Indian PM and subsequent judicial enquiries have failed to find conclusive evidence of serious misconduct,” it added.

Persistent criticism

The series, which holds Hindu nationalist Modi responsible for facilitating the anti-Muslim massacres, has drawn criticism over an alleged "anti-India bias."

The series aims to “portray Modi as intolerant who treats Muslims poorly. This is for BBC's domestic consumption in the UK as the British are sealing a trade deal with India,” The Times of India quoted British Indian Adit Kothari, founding member of the non-profit Indic Society, as saying.

“Domestically, this should be viewed as a direct assault on the Tory party and on Rishi Sunak by the Left-leaning liberal intelligentsia in the UK. The BBC has been anti-India for decades but in recent years it has shifted to being anti-Modi and anti-Hindu,” he argued.

Kothari, just as several other Twitter users, also emphasised the UK and India’s colonial background.

He rooted BBC’s “anti-Modi” rhetoric on the idea that “the Indian PM doesn't fit into their definition of the eloquent English speaker who studied abroad, like his previous predecessors, and is different from the colonial hangover that lasted in Indian polity for decades.”

Narendra Modi has served as India’s prime minister since 2014, and is currently serving his second term after his reelection in 2019.

In his political career, which spans over two decades, he has drawn persistent criticism for allegedly fuelling anti-Muslim sentiment and disregarding minority rights.

Elections are set to take place in India next year. According to Kothari, another purpose of the BBC series is “to influence pockets of urban population in India in relation to the upcoming 2024 elections.”

The series was the centre of fierce criticism and discussions on Twitter as well.

INSIGHT UK, which defines itself as a “social movement of the British Hindu and British Indian communities,” criticised BBC in a tweet, saying: “How much longer will @BBCNews lies continue? Riddled with antisemitism, anti-hindu & anti-india bias, they've lost many viewers and yet continue spreading their hate.”

On the other hand, some users criticised the BBC’s critics. One user, Jaya Pathak, said the docuseries would anger those “who are in denial about Modi and the BJP's propagation of anti-Muslim hatred.”

Professor Anand Menon from King's College London also took to Twitter in response to the article by The Times of India.

“Bizarre how PIOs [persons of Indian origin] seem to think being loyal to India means being loyal to a Government that has undermined some of the core values India was meant to embody,” he wrote in a tweet.