A K Antony's son opposes controversial BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP on Tuesday received support from unexpected quarters over the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with senior Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony's son Anil saying that placing the views of the British broadcaster over Indian institutions would "undermine" the country's sovereignty. Anil Antony had handled the digital communications of the grand old party's Kerala unit till recently. His remarks come at a time when various wings of the state Congress have announced that the screening of the controversial documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, when Modi was that state's chief minister, will be done in the state.

In a tweet, Anil said despite large differences with the BJP, those who support and place the views of the British broadcaster and of former UK foreign secretary Jack Straw, the "brain behind the Iraq war," (involving the US-led coalition in 2003) over Indian institutions are setting a dangerous precedence.

"Despite large differences with BJP, I think those (in India) placing views of BBC, a state sponsored channel with a long history of (alleged 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 tweeted.


KPCC minority cell chairman, advocate Shihabuddin Karyat, in a statement said that the documentary would be screened in district headquarters of the party on Republic Day in view of the undeclared ban on it in the country.

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".