The Indian government has prevented airing a BBC documentary that questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Even posting of

The Indian government has prevented airing 

a BBC documentary that questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots. 

Even posting of any footage on social media is prohibited.

According to a Twitter post by Kanchan Gupta, a government adviser, orders to stop the video from being disseminated have been given using the 

 granted to the government under the nation's information technology laws.

More than 300 former judges, government officials, and well-known individuals also criticized the documentary in a 

t, accusing the BBC of promoting a British colonial agenda and "putting itself up as both judge and jury to reignite Hindu-Muslim tensions."

, a two-part documentary that followed Narendra Modi's ascent through the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata party and his nomination as Gujarat's chief minister, has caused controversy.

The BBC also unearthed papers indicating that the British government and western diplomats had criticized Modi's behavior at the time, including a government study that stated the riots had "all the markings of an ethnic cleansing."

The Gujarat riots refer to a series of violent clashes that took place in the Indian state of Gujarat in 2002 following the burning of a train carrying Hindu pilgrims. 

The riots resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people, most of whom were Muslim.

 The violence was primarily directed against the Muslim community. 

It was widely criticized for being poorly handled by the state government led by Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Many human rights organizations have 

 of actively encouraging and supporting the violence against Muslims.

Modi rejected claims that he did not try to stop the riots. The Supreme Court established a special investigative team to look into Modi's and others' involvement in the violence, but there was, at that time, insufficient evidence to bring charges against the then-chief minister.

The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party chose Modi as its prime ministerial candidate in 201t3.

 He later led the party to victory in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs, described the documentary as "

a propaganda film intended to sell a specific discredited narrative

In response, the BBC said that the programme was 

"rigorously researched according to the highest editorial standards

". The documentary examines a previously unreleased British government report that the BBC claimed it received in the form of a diplomatic cable.

According to the BBC, the report details the acts of violence that "

" were there, including "widespread and systematic rape of Muslim women." According to Jack Straw, who is featured in the video and served as the British foreign secretary in 2002, 

Modi "had a pre-active role in pushing back the police and in implicitly encouraging the Hindu radicals.

The documentary's first episode aired on January 17 on the BBC, and the second is scheduled to run on Tuesday.

Emergency Power Under The Information Technology Rules, 2021

The BBC documentary, which revisits Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, was accessible by both YouTube and Twitter until Friday when the Indian government used its 

It has used these powers in accordance with the 

. The law has been subject to many controversies. There have been concerns about the freedom of the press in India under the Modi government, which has been in power since 2014. 

Reports suggest that there has been an increase in instances of harassment, intimidation, and violence against journalists, as well as attempts to control and influence the media. 

Critics of the government argue that it has been working to silence dissenting voices and critical coverage of its policies and actions

. There have also been instances of media organizations being denied government advertising, a major source of revenue for many outlets, as a form of punishment for critical reporting. 

Some media houses also pointed out that the government has been using its power 

to control the narrative by increasing its own media presence and promoting pro-government voices

. With critical journalists and media facing governmental and court harassment, 

 to 150 out of 180 countries in the press freedom survey last year; it's the lowest ranking ever.

However, the Government of India and the ruling party have denied the claims and stated that freedom of the press is an integral part of democracy and has been protected and upheld.

Politicians in the opposition expressed fury at the BBC documentary's suspension and charged the Modi administration of undermining democratic rights.

'India: The Modi Question' - BBC Documentary Banned in India

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