Plea filed in SC for ban on BBC against anti India propaganda [Read Petition]

NEW DELHI: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a complete ban on the BBC and initiate the National Investigation Agency probe against its anti-India reporting, following its recent documentary film 'India: The Modi Question' on 2002 Gujarat riots.

The petition filed by Vishnu Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena, and Muzaffarpur resident Beerendra Kumar Singh contended the BBC has been mouthpiece of those who targeted India to dent its image and to break Indian society by indulging in cold war broadcasting.

"Indian’s overall growth has picked up momentum since 2014 under the Prime Ministership of Narendra Modi, is not being digested by anti India lobby, media particularly BBC. Therefore, the BBC has been biased against India and Indian Government," the plea settled by advocate Barun Kumar Sinha and filed through advocate Abhishek states.

A couple of pleas by advocate M L Sharma and another by journalist N Ram, advocate Prashant Bhushan and TMC MP Mahua Moitra has been filed against the Union government's decision on January 20 to block the documentary made on Modi.

The instant petition said the documentary film by BBC relating to Gujarat violence 2002 implicating Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not only reflective of anti Narendra Modi cold propaganda broadcast to tarnish his image alone but this is anti Hinduism propaganda by the BBC to destroy the social fabric of India.Therefore, such false and malicious cold propaganda against India is in fact attack on the sovereignty of India in the name of journalism such sinister objective of the BBC is an offence under the Indian Penal Code in as much as the documentary sought to be aired is discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India on the ground of religion. In fact the alleged documentary film is diversity of Indian society on the ground of religion. Therefore, such broadcasting corporations is required to be dealt with iron hand.

The petition pointed out the BBC in its 2016 report referred Burhan Wani, Commander of Terrorist outfit in Kashmir as "charismatic young militant".

Further on 05.08.2019, the Government of India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution of India. The BBC came up with a report saying that "Article 370 was the main justification for being a part of India and by revoking it, the BJP has irrevocably changed Delhi's relationship with the region”, it pointed out.

In the year 2020, the BBC met again biased reporting about Delhi riots with headline 'Delhi riots How Muslim's Homes were targeted and burnt'. The BBC is being seen as anti India and it has often been accused of showing Hinduism in a poor life, it contended.

Further, the petition pointed out in 2012, BBC referred Holi festival as filthy festival for which BBC had to apologies.

"BBC's hostility against India and Indian Government is by product of British distrust of India since the days of Independence. These facts are narrated in an article published by Utpal Kumar published on 23.01.2023 under the heading 'BBC's hitjob on Narendra Modi not a one-off incident, shows growing British distrust for rising India'," the plea said.

The petitioners said the BBC has been indulging against anti India and anti Indian Government propaganda in post independent regime India.

"This is evident from the fact that during 1967 to 1969, a documentary film was made in Calcutta which highlighted impressionist portraits Bharat. The said documentary film was telecast in the year 1970 by the BBC. The then Government of India having Mrs. Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister banned the BBC for two years. The British employees of the BBC posted in India were asked to leave the country and the Indian employees were asked to leave the corporation," it said.

In the year 1975 , 41 Members of Parliament belonging to Congress issued signed statement accusing the BBC of Broadcasting notoriously anti India stories and asked the Government not to allow the BBC to report again from India soil, it added.

The petition further stated that the recent BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi is result of deep conspiracy against global rise of India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The first part of documentary is bases on th Gviolence in 2002 which started after 59 Hindu Karsavaks were burnt alive at Godhra Railway Station while they were returning from Ayodhya. The Central government has justifiably blocked the documentary using its emergency powers under the Information Technology Rules, 2022.

"It is pertinent to mention that this Court has given quietus to the cases relating to Gujarat Violence of 2002 as no evidence was found to show the attacks were either inspire or instigated by any Minister of State of Gujarat. It is relevant to mention that even the Nanavati Commission Report on 2020 Gujarat Violence has given categorical finding about no evidence to connect any Minister of the Gujarat Government with the violence. Further that in 2022, this Court has rejected an appeal against the clean chit given by Special Investigating Team, the plea said.

[Read Petition]