Opposition parties Tuesday hit out at the government after the Income Tax Department conducted surveys on the premises of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Delhi and Mumbai in relation to alleged tax evasion and irregularities pertaining to international tax and TDS transactions. 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. The IT raid at 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. — K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) February 14, 2023 The survey by the tax department comes weeks after a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots triggered a political controversy. After the documentary created a row, the central government ordered YouTube and Twitter to take down links sharing the documentary. “We are demanding the setting up of a joint parliamentrary committee (JPC) in the Adani issue and the government is going after the BBC. Vinaashakaale vipreetabuddhi,” said Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh. यहां हम अडानी के मामले में JPC की मांग कर रहे हैं और वहां सरकार BBC के पीछे पड़ी हुई है। 'विनाशकाले विपरीत बुद्धि' : Shri @Jairam_Ramesh pic.twitter.com/eBcDHZ6f1j — INC TV (@INC_Television) February 14, 2023 The CPM and the BSP too slammed the government. “The IT, ED and the 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. 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. — Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) February 14, 2023 “First ban BBC documentaries. No JPC/enquiry into Adani exposures. Now IT raids on BBC offices! India: ‘Mother of democracy’?” asked CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Twitter. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra too took a dig at the 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,” she tweeted. First ban BBC documentaries. No JPC/enquiry into Adani exposures. Now IT raids on BBC offices! India: ‘Mother of democracy’? — Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) February 14, 2023 Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti slammed the government saying, "Cause & effect of raids on the BBC Office is quite obvious. GOI is brazenly hounding those who speak the truth. Be it opposition leaders, media, activists or anyone else for that matter (sic)". Cause & effect of raids on the BBC Office is quite obvious. GOI is brazenly hounding those who speak the truth. Be it opposition leaders, media, activists or anyone else for that matter. The gloves are off & there is a price one pays for fighting for truth. — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 14, 2023 "The gloves are off and there is a price one pays for fighting for truth," Mufti added. Gujarat Congress working president Jignesh Mevani, too, invoked Adani in his tweet, saying, "Adani's office in Delhi being surveyed by the IT department. Phones of all employees siezed. Sorry it's BBC !" Adani's office in Delhi being surveyed by the IT department. Phones of all employees siezed. Sorry it's BBC ! — Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) February 14, 2023 Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the "surveys" were a declaration of a "vaicharik aapatkal" (ideological emergency). While tweeting an image of news reports on the I-T "surveys", the social media head of the Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Y Sathish Reddy, said "Modi gift to BBC". Modi gift to BBC 👇#BBCdocumentary pic.twitter.com/XjPrbo6YFC — YSR (@ysathishreddy) February 14, 2023 P Chidambaram, Rajya Sabha MP from Congress, said in a tweet, "Government's message to all citizens and organisations is 'behave, or else'. 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'. He added, "After practically shutting down Amnesty International and OXFAM, the BBC is next in line. Shameful!" After practically shutting down Amnesty International and OXFAM, the BBC is next in line. Shameful! — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 14, 2023 The Editors' Guild of India said that it was "deeply concerned about the 'surveys'". It added that it was "distressed by the continuing trend of government agencies being used to intimidate and harass news organisations that are critical of ruling establishment." EGI is deeply concerned about the IT “surveys” being carried out at the offices of BBC India. Is distressed by the continuing trend of government agencies being used to intimidate and harass news organisations that are critical of ruling establishment. pic.twitter.com/hM7ZkrdOiq — Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) February 14, 2023 Officials said that the I-T surveys were in relation to alleged tax evasion and irregularities pertaining to international tax and TDS transactions. Earlier in the day, 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.
