BBC documentary on Gujarat propaganda piece: India

New Delhi: India on Thursday described a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots as a "propaganda piece" designed to push a particular "discredited narrative". The bias, lack of objectivity and continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing while replying to a volley of questions on the documentary.

The documentary deals with the riots that broke out in Gujarat when Narendra Modi was the chief minister. Bagchi said the documentary is a reflection on the agency and individuals that are peddling "this narrative" again. "It makes us wonder about purpose of this exercise and agenda behind it," he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come out in defence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the BBC documentary claimed that the British government was aware about the Indian leader having an alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Pakistani-origin Imran Hussain, member of Parliament for Bradford East, asked Sunak if he agreed with claims in the BBC programme that some UK Foreign Office diplomats believed that "Modi was directly responsible".