The timing for the BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots is sinister considering India and the UK are working for a free trade agreement, India has assumed the presidency of G20 and the UK has an Indian-origin prime minister, Lord Rami Ranger, a member of the House of Lords of the UK Parliament, wrote to the broadcaster condemning it.
In a letter addressed to Tim Davie, director general of BBC, he also requested the broadcaster to stop screening the second part of the documentary as it would exasperate the "already tense situation" between the Hindus and Muslims in the UK cities.
The two-part BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" claims it investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots when Modi was the chief minister of the state.
"The timing of this documentary is sinister; when India assumed the Presidency of G20, we have our first Prime Minister of Indian origin in No.10 and we are working for the UK-India free trade agreement," he said in the letter
Rami Ranger also questioned whether BBC's "Pakistani-origin staff were behind this nonsense" and commented that the documentary insults the democratically elected prime minister, the Judiciary and also Parliament
"I am appalled by the documentary," Rami Ranger said adding, "I condemn violence and loss of life wherever it takes place, and I equally condemn those stirring up religious hatred in the United Kingdon by bringing up the politics of the subcontinent to the United Kingdom."
"The BBC documentary has opened old wounds by creating hatred between British Hindus and Muslims by attempting to paint India as an intolerant nation where Muslims are persecuted. If this had been the case, the Muslims would have left India by now. On the contrary, the Muslim population of India is now more than Pakistan's..." he added.
Meanwhile, India had on Thursday dismissed it as a "propaganda piece", saying it is designed to push a particular "discredited narrative" and that the continuing colonial mindset is "blatantly visible" in the series.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also wondered about the purpose of the documentary and the "agenda" behind it and said "frankly we do not wish to dignify such efforts".
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