BBC offices were searched
The offices of BBC in Delhi and Mumbai were searched by Income Tax officials. The survey campaign, which started on February 14, went on for three days. The Income Tax Department has informed that BBC has committed fraud in international tax. The issue of this action on BBC was also raised in the British Parliament. Then the UK government and the opposition Labor Party had expressed concern over the Income Tax survey while defending the BBC. The opposition raised questions about the action in India, which was answered by David Rutley, the UK’s parliamentary under-secretary for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Jim Shannon of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had demanded the UK Foreign Ministry to question and answer India on this issue.
The documentary created an uproar
Before the Income Tax Survey, the BBC had released a documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The BJP termed it as a conspiracy against India. This documentary released under the name India: The Modi Question was banned in India. Opposition parties and many organizations strongly criticized this move of the Government of India. The matter reached the Supreme Court and a hearing took place there as well. Then on February 14, the Income Tax survey started in BBC offices. Now British Foreign Minister James Cleverley, who is visiting India, also raised this issue. However, the Indian Foreign Minister unhesitatingly told him that be it BBC or any other organization, whosoever has to work in India, he has to follow the law here completely.