BBC Documentary: SC Issues Notice to the Centre, Schedule next Hearing in April
On Friday, the Supreme Court asked the central government to respond to arguments challenging its decision to block a BBC documentary about the 2002 Gujarat riots.
On the basis of the arguments being made by veteran journalist N Ram, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, and activist attorney Prashant Bhushan, a bench of justices led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice M M Sundresh issued notices to the government and others.
Supreme Court issues notice to the Centre on plea seeking direction to restrain the Central government from censoring the BBC documentary relating to the 2002 Gujarat Riots.
SC seeks response from the Centre within three weeks. SC posts the matter for hearing in April. pic.twitter.com/65nLjc71Eh
— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2023
It also published a notice regarding the plea which M. L. Sharma’s attorney filed.
The Centre must produce original documentation relevant to the takedown order, the Top Court further ordered.
“We’re sending out notices. In three weeks, a counter affidavit must be submitted. Within two weeks following that, reapply,” said the bench.
read more- Despite Ban, BBC Documentary Screened in several universities in India
The matter is listed for the next hearing in April.
Following the ban, the two-part BBC series was shared by a number of opposition leaders, including Mahua Moitra, and opposition parties and student organizations held screenings for the general public.
After being denied permission to hold screenings, students clashed with university administrators and the police on several campuses, and some of them were also detained for short term.
On January 21, the Centre issued orders for the blocking of numerous YouTube videos and Twitter messages containing links to the controversial documentary “India: The Modi Question” under the emergency provisions of the Information Technology Rules, 2021.
According to the petitioners, the Centre must produce the emergency blocking orders within 48 hours as per the guidelines.
Read More- BBC Documentary on PM Modi Sparks Controversy, MEA calls it propaganda
After British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak distanced himself from the series and said he “doesn’t agree with the characterisation” of his Indian counterpart in the UK’s parliament, on being questioned by Pakistani-origin MP Imran Hussain, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry reportedly instructed Twitter and YouTube to block the first episode of the BBC documentary.
The Top Court was hearing a petition from farmer Beerendra Kumar Singh and Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta who also requested an investigation into BBC and its workers.
The BBC has allegedly been biased against India and the Indian government, and the documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the result of a broad plot against India’s rise internationally and its premier.
“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 BBC to destroy the social fabric of India,” the plea stated.
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