I&B Ministry orders blocking of BBC documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ critical of PM Modi on YouTube, Twitter

Directions to block the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question” on YouTube and Twitter were reportedly issued by I&B Secretary Apurva Chandra using the emergency powers under the Information Technology Rules, 2021

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued orders for blocking multiple YouTube videos of the first episode of the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question” and the over 50 tweets containing their web links.

The directions were reportedly issued by I&B Secretary Apurva Chandra on January 20 using the emergency powers under the Information Technology Rules, 2021. Both YouTube and Twitter have complied with the directions, said a source.

The documentary, produced by the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster, had been earlier termed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) a “propaganda piece” that lacked objectivity and reflected colonial mindset. “While it was not made available in India by the BBC in India, some YouTube channels had uploaded it to promote an anti-India agenda,” a government official said.

It is learnt that YouTube has also been instructed to block the video if it is uploaded on its platform again. Twitter has also been told to identify and block the tweets containing the link to the video on other platforms.

Sources said senior officials of multiple Ministries, including the MEA, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the I&B Ministry, earlier examined the documentary and found it to be “an attempt to cast aspersions on the authority and credibility of the Supreme Court of India, sow divisions among various Indian communities, and make unsubstantiated allegations regarding actions of foreign governments in India”.

“The documentary was accordingly found to be undermining sovereignty and integrity of India, and having the potential to adversely impact India’s friendly relations with foreign States as also public order within the country,” said the official.