Gujarat riots in India: BBC documentary on Prime Minister Modi's role blocked

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a rally during a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally ahead of Gujarat state elections in Dehgam, about 40 km from Ahmedabad, on November 24, 2022. AFP - SAM PANTHAKY

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

In India, a documentary produced by the English channel of the BBC provokes very strong reactions.

This documentary, broadcast this week and visible online, looks back on the anti-Muslim pogroms that took place in 2002 in the Indian state of Gujarat, then led by Narendra Modi.

New Delhi speaks of propaganda and has just blocked all internet links showing the film.

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With our correspondent in New Delhi

,

The Indian government has used an exceptional measure, provided for in the law on new technologies, to order the removal of around fifty links on Twitter and YouTube.

Which allowed Indians to see the first episode of the BBC film, called

.

A documentary that argues, through documents declassified by London, that Narendra Modi allegedly, in 2002, instructed regional police to let anti-Muslim pogroms go ahead, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,000 people.

New Delhi describes this film as "

", and justifies these blockages by the fact that it would call into question the decision of the Supreme Court, which cleared the Prime Minister, and that it could "

".

However, English journalists cite the Supreme Court's decision and have asked the government to comment on it, which it did not want.

As a reminder, the United States refused Narendra Modi a visa for 10 years following these pogroms, in the name of “

”.

Since his election as head of state in 2014, this episode has become taboo in India.  

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