"BBC's credibility extraordinary, been an audience for 40 yrs..." Rajasthan CM attacks Centre over I-T surveys
Feb 14, 2023
Kota (Rajasthan) [India], February 14 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday asked the Central government to come out "clean" on the recent 'survey' conducted by I-T officials at BBC offices, located in Delhi and Mumbai.
He said that the 'credibility' of the UK-based broadcaster is 'extraordinary' all over the world and that the government should clear why its offices were targeted.
"It's a matter of concern what's happening in country. Now, BBC is attacked, it has extraordinary credibility all over the world. Still people listen to BBC in villages. I myself am a viewer of it for 40 years. Centre must tell reasons why its offices were targeted or else the government will also be defamed all over the world," Gehlot told reporters here in Kota.
Earlier in the day, Income tax officials arrived at BBC offices located at the national capital's KG Marg for the survey. The British broadcaster's office at Kalina Santacruz in Mumbai was also surveyed, sources said adding that the survey was limited to the business premises of BBC only.
However, as the survey was underway, the British public broadcaster BBC News released a statement, saying that it is cooperating with the Income Tax department, which is conducting a survey at its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.
"The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating," the BBC News Press Team said in a statement.
The searches come weeks after the BBC released a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi - 'India: The Modi Question," which caused controversy on January 21. The Centre had issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary on PM Modi. The Supreme Court had on February 3 directed the central government to produce original records relating to its decision to block the BBC documentary.
