US: Indian diaspora holds protest in California against BBC documentary on PM Modi

The Indian diaspora on Saturday held a protest against the BBC documentary series "India: The Modi Question" at Fremont in the San Francisco Bay area of California.

About 50 members, under the banner of "Indian Diaspora", chanted slogans and marched through the streets of Fremont in San Francisco area of United States stating that they "reject BBC's sinister and biased documentary." While marching in Fremont, people were shouting slogans like "Biased BBC" and "racist BBC."

While protesting at Fremont, people carried banners which said, "BBC IS A BOGUS Broadcasting Corporation" and "Indian Diaspora rejects BBC's Sinister and Biased Documentary against Prime Minister Narendra Modi," "BBC Documentary spreading fake propaganda," "BBC is a fake news peddler."

UK's national broadcaster BBC aired a two-part series attacking PM Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister during the Gujarat riots of 2002. Prominent Indian-origin UK citizens condemned the series. Prominent UK Citizen Lord Rami Ranger said the "BBC caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians."

On January 19, India denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described it as a "propaganda piece" that is designed to push a discredited narrative.

Addressing a weekly media briefing External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said this documentary show, based on some internal UK report, shows the colonial mindset. The documentary sparked outrage and was removed from select platforms.

"We think this is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias and the lack of objectivity and frankly continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible," Bagchi said in response to the question on the PM documentary series.

The MEA spokesperson said the documentary is a reflection of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. He even raised questions on "the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it."

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"The documentary is a reflection of the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. It makes us wonder about the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it; frankly, we do wish to dignify these efforts," he added.