London:
The UK government has defended the BBC as a media outlet “independent in its output” in the wake of widespread Indian diaspora protests against a controversial documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing reporters at Downing Street on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman reiterated a statement issued by Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in Parliament earlier this week, which said the government is investing in its relationship with India. Will continue to do
Responding to a question about India’s condemnation of the documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’, the spokesperson said, “The BBC is independent in its output and we will stress that we treat India as an incredibly important international partner.” considered as.” Chief Minister’s role in the 2002 Godhra riots.
“We will invest heavily in our relationship with India in the coming decades and we are confident that it will only grow stronger,” the spokesperson said.
A similar response was followed by Cleverly in the House of Commons on Tuesday, when he answered a question from a Conservative Party colleague on the assurances given by the UK government to India in the wake of coordinated migrant protests against the BBC over the weekend.
“I recently had the opportunity to talk to Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami on this and many other issues,” the foreign minister told the MPs.
“We recognize how this portrayal of the Indian government has played out in India. I have made it clear that while the BBC is independent in its output, the UK regards India as an incredibly important international partner and we are committed to that relationship.” will invest heavily. in the coming decades,” he said.
The minister was responding to a question by Tory MP Bob Blackman, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus (APPG), who termed the documentary as “anti-India propaganda” and raised concerns to “reassure our Commonwealth partner”. asked about the steps. That this propaganda is not the policy of this government.”
Cleverly met Doraiswami during the India Global Forum’s UK-India parliamentary luncheon last week and addressed a gathering of parliamentarians and business leaders on strengthening bilateral ties across all sectors.
He said at the time, “On trade, we are well engaged in conversations about what all the characteristics of what should be a real global standard bilateral trade relationship, because we have this amazing bilateral relationship that I like to think of as unique.” “
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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