No Link Between BBC Docu-Series And I-T Survey, UK Will Look At Concerns: British MP Blackman
In exclusive interview to ABP Live, UK MP Bob Blackman spoke about the I-T action. He said it's between Indian govt & BBC to ensure there's full cooperation & transparency so the matter gets resolved.
New Delhi: BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai were surveyed by the Income Tax department on Tuesday as the agency cited financial irregularities on part of the British broadcaster and also called it a "repeat offender". The I-T survey comes in the backdrop of a two-part docu-series "India: The Modi Question" recently aired by BBC. UK MP Bob Blackman told ABP Live that the Indian authorities have the right to investigate BBC if there are irregularities, and that the UK government would look into the matter since "there will be concerns".
In an exclusive chat with ABP Live in Delhi, Bob Blackman, a member of the Conservative Party and MP from Harrow East, however, overruled any link between the I-T survey and the recent release of the BBC docu-series.
"I think that the two are not connected. In reality, the Indian authorities if they have got any concerns or found any irregularities then it is right that they investigate. They (Income Tax department) carry out the 'survey' to make sure that all the documents are correct. If the documents are not correct, they will obviously take appropriate action," said the British MP who is in India on a "personal trip".
"I can't comment obviously on what the accusations are because we haven't seen the evidence but it is between the Indian authorities and the BBC to make sure that there is full cooperation and full transparency so that the matter can be resolved," Blackman said.
Commenting on the BBC docu-series on Modi earlier on Tuesday, the MP had called it "propaganda against the Indian government".
'If There Are Allegations Against BBC, They Need To Be Investigated'
Asked if there will be any official reaction from the UK government to the I-T survey on BBC's India offices, Blackman said the broadcaster could come under scrutiny as there are "concerns".
"BBC is an independent organisation; it is not run by the government of the United Kingdom. In fact, it is very critical of the United Kingdom. It is a separate organisation in its entirety and obviously, the view would be that all the taxes will be paid appropriately in the countries they (BBC) are based," the MP said.
"Clearly, if there are concerns and allegations made against BBC then they need to be investigated. BBC...reports through the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. So our Secretary of State will have a look at this because there will be concerns," he added.
As the I-T 'survey' at the BBC offices invited criticism from opposition parties that alleged "undeclared emergency", the ruling BJP hit back stating that BBC was “running agenda under the garb of journalism”.
Asserting that they "disown the documentary", Blackman told ABP Live that though the docu-series was commissioned by BBC and was done under its editorial guidelines, it was not collected and compiled by them, and hence the UK government and its parliament don't share the view of India that was portrayed in it.
"I challenged the foreign secretary to make clear the position on the floor of the House that this documentary, the work of BBC, the UK government does not accept, and indeed the UK has a strong relationship with the Indian government," Blackman said.
"So, all this innuendo and frankly I say slurs on the Indian government are unacceptable... I think from that perspective we have been able to clear a lot of air in the UK Parliament. It has caused a lot of concerns. It was raised by an opposition MP during our prime minister's Question Time and our prime minister made the position very clear that we disown the documentary."
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