WHILE THE Opposition on Tuesday criticised the Income Tax department's “survey” at the BBC offices as “intimidation tactics” reflecting the Centre's “undemocratic and dictatorial” attitude, the BJP defended the action and accused the British broadcaster of engaging in “venomous” reporting on India. The BJP also labelled the BBC as a “Bhrasht (corrupt) Bakwaas (rubbish) Corporation” with a “tainted and black history of working with malice against India”. Addressing a press conference soon after the Income Tax operations began, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said “BBC's propaganda and Congress's agenda are on the same lines”, accusing both of supporting “anti-national forces”. He said the Income Tax personnel had “lawfully” carried out the surveys. “The Income Tax department is no longer the 'caged parrot' - as the Supreme Court had said about government institutions during the Congress rule,” he said. “In one of its programmes, the BBC unleashed the most venomous attack against our country. The programme presenter referred to a commander of a terrorist outfit operating in Kashmir (slain LeT commander Burhaan Wani) as a charismatic young militant. What kind of journalism is this? You (BBC) are working in India but trying to sabotage our Constitution. In another report, it said Holi is a 'filthy' festival. What do you know about our festivals? In another report, they insulted our icons, saying that Mahatma Gandhi failed to liberate India in 1946,” alleged Bhatia. “This shows that the BBC does venomous and shallow reporting on India. The BBC wishes to operate in India, yet refuses to respect the icons of the country,” he said. “The BBC, with its activities, has become the most Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation in the world. Unfortunately, BBC's propaganda and Congress's agenda are on the same lines. Today, India is attaining great heights under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, and some sections don't like this. The BBC has all rights to do journalism in India, but it will have to abide by the law of the land. If they have been following the law of the land, why are they getting scared,” he said. “Congress should remember that its own leader and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had imposed a ban on BBC,” he said. Accusing the Congress of supporting “anti-national” forces, he said: “Your hate for Modi is so much that you politicise even a probe agency's work. You always question constitutional authorities such as the Supreme Court and the Election Commission”. "My question to the Congress and other Opposition parties is that when the (Income Tax) survey has not even come to any logical conclusion, on what basis are they standing with the 'anti-national' forces? Why can't they wait patiently for the report? Why is it that the Congress always stands with China, BBC and even terrorists?” he said. Meanwhile, the Opposition linked the Income Tax action to the BBC documentary on Modi. “Time and again, there has been an assault on the freedom of Press under the Modi government. This is done with brazen and unapologetic vengeance to strangulate remotely critical voices. No democracy can survive if institutions are used to attack Opposition and the media. The people will resist this,” said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. “(The IT action) 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,” said AICC general secretary K C Venugopal. “We are demanding the setting up of a joint parliamentary committee in the Adani issue and the government is going after the BBC,” said Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh. “The government's message to all citizens and organisations is 'behave, or else'. The government's definition of freedom of the press is 'we are a free country, you are free to express your opinion as long as it agrees with mine'. After practically shutting down Amnesty International and Oxfam, the BBC is next in line. Shameful,” said senior Congress leader P Chidambaram. The CPI(M) called the action a “blatant attempt to intimidate and harass the television channel for having telecast the documentary”. The CPI pointed out that the documentary has “annoyed the Modi government, which did not allow its telecast in universities and other places.” “It is a standard tactic of the Modi government to intimidate the Indian media through raids conducted by the Income Tax department and other agencies. This has now been extended to a foreign media enterprise operating in India. This coercive action will further reinforce internationally the image of the Modi government as an authoritarian regime which seeks to suppress media criticism,” the CPI(M) said. The CPI said the Modi government has become “notorious for attacking everyone who criticises and exposes its communal-fascist policies”. The BSP, Trinamool Congress and PDP also criticised the government. “The IT, ED and CBI have not reached Adani’s office but a team of the IT department is searching the Delhi office of the BBC. It is an attack on whatever is left of the Press freedom in India. India ranks 150th in the world Press freedom. It is clear that India will now slip further,” BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali said. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged that it was "brazen hounding" of "those who speak the truth" by the BJP-led government. “Reports of Income Tax raid at BBC's Delhi office. Wow, really? How unexpected. Meanwhile farsaan seva for Adani when he drops in for a chat with Chairman @SEBI_India office,” TMC MP Mahua Moitra tweeted. The AAP alleged that the IT action showed Modi had reached the "heights of dictatorship". Meanwhile, the Editors Guild of India said it was "deeply concerned" about the Income Tax action, and termed it as a continuation of a "trend" of using government agencies to "intimidate and harass" media outlets critical of the ruling establishment.
