AK Antony's son questions support for BBC documentary on Gujarat riots, says it sets a dangerous precedent

New Delhi, January 24

The ruling BJP government on Tuesday received support from unexpected quarters on its stand against the BBC documentary on Gujarat riots.

Congress leader Anil Antony, the son of former defence minister AK Antony, said the BBC series undermined national sovereignty.

“Despite large differences with BJP, I think those in India placing views of BBC, a British state sponsored channel with a long history of anti-India prejudices, and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over Indian institutions is setting a dangerous precedence, will undermine our sovereignty,” Anil Antony tweeted today.

The Centre had last week directed blocking of multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary.

The two-part BBC documentary, which claims it investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots, has been trashed by the Ministry of External Affairs as a “propaganda piece” that lacked objectivity and reflected a “colonial mindset”.

The central government’s move has received sharp criticism from opposition parties like the Congress and the TMC for imposing “censorship”. (With Agency Inputs)