‘India mother of democracy, but PM Modi father…’: Cong’s fresh jibe on BBC row

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday questioned PM Modi’s pre-2014 video where he expressed his trust in BBC and asked what led to the change of heart that BBC is now on the radar of the income tax department after their documentary on the 2002 riots in Gujarat.

Decoding a “pattern that follows maximum raids”, the Congress leader said, “First, they raid and then his friend buys that channel. What is this toolkit?” Khera added without taking any name.

“This is not only with media organisations — this happened in ports, cement companies also. First comes the agency and then Adani,” the Congress leader said.

Congress is concerned over the image of the country following the ‘survey’, the Congress leader said. “There should be shakhas of CBI, ED, IT in other countries like RSS shakhas. PM has made a mockery of this country. We are not a banana republic and will never be,” the Congress leader said.

“Sahab used to give speeches about BBC before 2014 and what happened today? He himself will deep dive into the history and ask whether you are a Gandhi and Nehru. Now what’s your problem that BBC has dug out 20-year-old history,” Pawan Khera said adding, “How can everything be a foreign conspiracy? Then what explains the raids on the Indian media organisations? Is your foreign policy so weak that anyone can conspire against India? India is the mother of democracy, but PM is the father of hypocrisy.”

Amid row over BBC’s documentary on Narendra Modi India: The Narendra Modi Question, the income tax officers conducted its survey at the BBC office premises on Tuesday and Wednesday. The ‘survey’ has come under flak from the opposition.

Union minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said the income tax depqartment will give a detailed statement on why the survey was conducted. “The Income Tax Dept conducts surveys from time to time where irregularities are found, and when the survey is completed, they give information by a press note or press briefing. And I think when this survey of IT is completed, they will give you all that information in detail,” he said.

During the investigation, the mobile phones of all the employees present in the BBC office were taken away by the Income Tax team. The data of the computer kept in the accounts and finance department was also scanned. According to sources, officials said the devices will be returned to their owners after taking a backup.