‘There will be no media left in country’: CM Banerjee on IT survey at BBC offices

Amid the Income Tax action against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reacted to the ongoing ‘survey’ at the news broadcaster’s offices by saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government is affecting freedom of the press in the country.

Terming the IT survey at BBC offices very unfortunate, CM Banerjee claimed that the media is controlled by the Central Government and cannot raise their voice.

On February 14, officers from the Income Tax Department conducted surveys at BBC’s Mumbai and Delhi offices, claiming tax evasion by the media outlet.

The West Bengal Chief Minister further lambasted the Centre by saying that it is running the government with a political vendetta against opposition parties.

“It's very unfortunate. BJP is running govt with a political vendetta. It's not only affecting the freedom of the press, there will be no media left in the country. Media is already controlled by them. Media can't raise its voice: West Bengal CM on Income-tax survey on BBC India.”

This comes amid a raging controversy over a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The MEA had criticized the documentary as a propaganda against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and lacking objectivity.

Yesterday, the IT officials reached BBC’s Mumbai and Delhi offices and started their survey. BBC employees were asked to deposit their phones at a particular place inside the office. The IT officials also impounded laptops and cell phones of the account department’s staffers.

Meanwhile, several opposition leaders also slammed the Central Government after the sudden move of the IT Department.

Congress said that the BJP government scared of criticism. “Condemning the surveys, the Congress said the move shows that the Narendra Modi government is scared of criticism. “The IT raid at the BBC’s offices reeks of desperation and shows that the Modi government is scared of criticism. We condemn these intimidation tactics in the harshest terms. This undemocratic and dictatorial attitude cannot go on any longer,” AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said.

Yesterday, In an interview with ANI, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “These people are after Modiji since 2002. But every time Modiji has come out clean and become more popular.” Shah was responding to a question on whether he saw the Adani controversy erupting right after the BBC documentary as a conspiracy.

Also Read: BBC has extraordinary credibility’: CM Ashok Gehlot on IT raids at BBC offices