Anurag Thakur takes a dig at BBC over Gary Lineker's suspension. See post
3 min read 12 Mar 2023, 09:54 AM ISTAfter the suspension of Gary Linekar, BBC has received criticism from pundits, presenters, and even players
PremiumUnion Cabinet Minister Anurag Thakur has taken a dig at BBC after the British broadcaster suspended its sports Gary Linekar for his opinion on the UK government's asylum policy.
BBC's weekend soccer anchor this week tweeted, "Good heavens, this is beyond awful" to a video posted on Twitter by the British Home Office announcing the new proposed policy – an attempt to stop migrant boats crossing the English Channel from France which has been criticized by the United Nations and other global bodies.
“There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in a language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?"
Subsequently, BBC stated that Lineker would “step back from presenting Match of the Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media".
The British Broadcasting Company said that Lineker's tweet breached their guidelines.
Following this episode, India's Information and Broadcasting Minister Thakur took a swipe at the organisation. Thakur wrote, "Interesting to see how the BBC which makes lofty claims about journalistic objectivity & independence suspend their star anchor over his social media activity".
Last month, BBC released a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Gujarat riots. Thereafter, India's income tax department conducted more than 60 hours of raids at BBC's office in Mumbai and Delhi.
However, after the suspension of Linekar, BBC has received criticism from pundits, presenters, and even players.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak even weighed in, urging Lineker and the BBC to settle their disagreement.
“Gary Lineker was a great footballer and is a talented presenter. I hope that the current situation between Gary Lineker and the BBC can be resolved in a timely manner, but it is rightly a matter for them, not the government," he said.
Lineker, 62, was a household name in Britain even before he became chief “Match of the Day" presenter in 1999.
One of English soccer's most lauded players, he was the leading scorer at the 1986 World Cup and finished his international career with 48 goals in 80 matches for England.
After retiring from a career that included stints with Barcelona, Tottenham, Everton and Leicester, Lineker has become one of the U.K.'s most influential media figures and the BBC's best-paid star, earning 1.35 million pounds (USD 1.6 million) last year.
An enthusiastic social media user with 8.7 million Twitter followers, Lineker has long irked right-of-center politicians and activists with his liberal views, including criticism of Britain's decision to leave the European Union.
The 100-year-old BBC, which is funded by a license fee paid by all households with a television, has a duty to be impartial in its news coverage, and BBC news staff are barred from expressing political opinions.
Lineker, as a freelancer who doesn't work in news or current affairs, isn't bound by the same rules, and has sometimes pushed the boundaries of what the BBC considers acceptable. Last year, the BBC found Lineker breached impartiality rules with a tweet about the Conservatives' alleged Russian donations.
BBC neutrality has come under recent scrutiny over revelations that its chairman, Richard Sharp — a Conservative Party donor — helped arrange a loan for then Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021, weeks before Sharp was appointed to the BBC post on the government's recommendation.
Former BBC Director General Greg Dyke said the network “undermined its own credibility" by appearing to bow to government pressure.
Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said the BBC was “caving in" to political pressure from Conservative lawmakers.
