BBC Documentary row: Delhi Court adjourns matter over ‘India: The Modi Question’ until Dec 18

The Rohini Court in Delhi has adjourned the BBC documentary controversy until December 18, 2024.

Earlier in April, the court issued a new summons to the BBC at its UK address.

Also Read: Is Twitter deleting posts on PM Modi’s BBC documentary at Centre’s request? TMC MP Derek O’Brien claims so

This matter concerns the ban on the documentary “India: the Modi Question”.

What is controversial about ‘India: the Modi Question’?

The central government has banned the BBC documentary focused on the 2002 riots in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. The film explores the sectarian violence in Gujarat during Modi's tenure as chief minister, detailing the large-scale killing of Muslims following the attack and burning of a train carrying Hindu pilgrims by a Muslim mob.

Also Read: Congress screens controversial BBC documentary on PM Modi at Kerala’s beach

Human rights groups have accused Modi of failing to curb the violence, though India's Supreme Court has rejected these allegations.

Moreover, the documentary features former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who stated that the British government’s inquiry found that Modi’s administration had created "a climate of impunity" for the rioters.

“The Centre has blocked the controversial documentary across all social media platforms. Any attempts to screen the film will be a violation of Intellectual Property Rights,” the Ministry of External Affairs said earlier in January.

Also Read: PM Modi’s BBC documentary: Former RAW chief calls it ’prejudiced’

Additionally, press freedom in India has deteriorated in recent years, with India dropping eight places to 150 out of 180 countries in the latest Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders.

Earlier this year, Derek O'Brien claimed that Twitter had deleted his tweet about the BBC documentary that "exposed" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attitude against minorities. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker referred to it as “censorship” and released an image of a Twitter correspondence in which it was said that his message had been taken down because it had violated Indian law.

(With inputs from agencies)