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Modi documentary row: Delhi High Court issues defamation notice to BBC over ‘India The Modi Question’

The Delhi High Court has issued a defamation notice to BBC over the controversial documentary on PM Modi called ‘India: The Modi Question’.

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Months after the controversial documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ released by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the British news agency regarding a defamation case filed against the company by a Gujarat-based NGO.

The documentary by BBC – India: The Modi Question – was released last year and revolved around Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots, exploring the alleged role of PM Modi in the violence as he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time.

The Centre, however, had dismissed the details and story displayed in the controversial BBC documentary, terming it as defamatory against PM Modi and calling it a “propaganda film” which displays a “colonial mindset”.

While BBC maintained that the entire Modi documentary was extremely well researched and based on facts, an NGO in Gujarat called Justice on Trial said that the ‘India: The Modi Question’ documentary insulted and defamed the people of India.

Senior advocate Harish Salve represented the Gujarat-based NGO in the Delhi High Court, saying that the whole Constitutional system of India has been defamed by the portrayal displayed in the BBC documentary about the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Salve contended that the documentary also makes insinuations against the prime minister. It was argued on behalf of the plaintiff that the documentary makes defamatory imputation and cast a slur on the reputation of the country.

The high court said, "Issue notice to the respondents through all permissible modes" and listed it for further hearing on September 15.

"It is contended that the said documentary makes defamatory imputation and caste slur on the reputation of the Country and Judiciary and against the Prime Minister of India. Issue notice to the respondents through all permissible modes," the judge ordered.

(With inputs from agencies)

READ | BBC documentary row explained: Why 'India-The Modi Question' is sparking a political row between BJP, Congress

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