21 Jul 2023  |   09:07pm IST

The Media’s Freedom Is Being Curbed”: Opposition Demands To See The Banned BBC Documentary

Panjim: A heated debate erupted during the monsoon session, when the opposition questioned the ban on the BBC documentary that looks into Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the then CM of Gujrat’s role in the 2002 Godhra riots. Demanding to see its content, the opposition leaders created a ruckus in the parliament, seeking answers from the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP).

 

Dhaji Salkar, MLA of Vasco Da Gama and BJP leader, responded by accusing the BBC of tarnishing the government's image. He expressed concerns about potential defamation of the nation, including the then Chief Minister and now Prime Minister. He labeled the BBC as the "Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation," denouncing its credibility. The opposition responded to this by emphasising the need to view the documentary for a fair debate.

Carlos Alvares Ferreira, of the Indian National Congress, and the MLA of Aldona, countered these points by stating that the BJP focused on the defamation of the Prime Minister and said, “No individual is greater than the nation.” He went on to compare the ban to the circumstances of Nazi Germany, and said that the as a pillar of democracy, the media’s job is to put out facts, and the people’s decision to come to a conclusion using the information available to them. 

“The freedom of the press is being suppressed,” he added. He brought up the Delhi court’s statement – “The society’s outrage alone is not justification for suppressing free speech,” – and reminded the parliament that dissent is essential to a democracy.

Salkar said, "India is a democratic country and freedom of expression is at the core of its Constitution. But, that does not mean that any news media can act in a capricious manner by abusing such freedom."

Watch full video: https://youtu.be/8O9UGE-Zkuw