I-T action against BBC perturbing for India’s image: Congress

Condemning the Income Tax survey at the BBC’s offices, the Congress on Wednesday asked what image of India is Prime Minister Narendra Modi projecting through such actions at a time when the country is hosting the G-20. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said anyone questioning Prime Minister Modi about his past is “raided” and accused the government of demolishing the fourth pillar of democracy. The Income Tax Department survey operation against BBC India continued for the second day on Wednesday with sleuths understood to be making copies of electronic and paper-based financial data of the organisation, officials said. The Indian media has been repeatedly “strangulated, muzzled and bulldozed” by the Modi government, just because some of them, a very small number, have refused to toe the line of the BJP, he alleged. “When Modi ji was dreaming of becoming the prime minister of the country, then he was a dedicated follower of the same BBC,” Khera told reporters here. “Demolishing the fourth pillar of democracy has now become a mundane thing in ‘New India’. Modi ji had promised to run ‘Start Up India’, but in ‘amrit kaal’ it has become ‘Shut Up India’,” the Congress leader said. This year, it is India’s turn to host the G20, which is a big event, and “what image of India is Modi ji presenting to the world with this raid?” he asked.