BBC Faces Defamation Lawsuit in Delhi High Court Over Documentary on PM Modi

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the British public broadcaster, BBC, in connection with a defamation suit related to its controversial documentary about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The documentary titled ‘India: The Modi Question’ is banned in India and explores certain aspects surrounding the 2002 Gujarat riots that occurred during PM Modi’s tenure as the state’s chief minister. The notice was served to the BBC following a defamation suit filed by a Gujarat-based NGO called ‘Justice on Trial’.

Representing the NGO, senior advocate Harish Salve argued that the documentary had defamed India as a whole, including its judiciary system. Justice Sachin Datta has summoned the BBC and scheduled the case for further consideration in September. Justice Datta expressed that the documentary allegedly makes defamatory statements and includes caste slurs against the reputation of the country, the judiciary, and the Prime Minister of India.

Earlier this year, the BJP government banned the BBC documentary on PM Modi and instructed social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube to block any links related to it.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticized the documentary, describing it as a “propaganda piece” lacking objectivity and reflecting a colonial mindset. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi dismissed the documentary and declined to provide further comments, emphasizing that it had not been screened in India.