India News

Propaganda video, shoddy journalism: British MP Bob Blackman on PM Modi BBC documentary

A British parliamentarian has termed the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “propaganda video” and a “disgraceful piece of shoddy journalism.”

Published

3 years ago

February 17, 2023

A British parliamentarian has termed the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “propaganda video” and a “disgraceful piece of shoddy journalism.”

In an interview with news agency ANI, UK Member of Parliament, Bob Blackman said the contentious documentary should never have been released as it ignored the “all-important fact” that India’s Supreme Court had already investigated the accusation against PM Modi in connection with the 2002 riots and didn’t find a shred of evidence.

Bob Blackman, a member of the ruling Conservative and MP for Harrow East, asserted that as Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi did his best to appeal for peace and calm the tempers during the infamous 2002 Godhra riots.

The politician accused the two-part documentary of slander which regrettably makes it seem as if the BBC had some agenda to India-UK ties. He said that the United Kingdom regards India as a strong friend and ally and the two countries were negotiating a landmark free trade deal and anything that disrupts the process is extremely regrettable. Blackman also lauded PM Modi for the radical transformation of India’s economy.

The British parliamentarian said BBC piece on PM Modi was merely overseen by the broadcaster but produced by an external organization and as such was “full of innuendos” adding that the two-part series was more on the lines of a propaganda video and a “disgraceful piece of shoddy journalism” targeting Narendra Modi, first as a Chief Minister of Gujarat and then as India’s duly elected Prime Minister.

Blackman said that the BBC should never have released the documentary as the British broadcaster has a worldwide reputation and people might think that all these things were true because the BBC broadcasted it. But, said Blackman, the documentary, produced by an external organization and overseen by the BBC is “far from the truth” as it failed to delve into the cause of the 2002 Gujarat riots and also ignored the fact these allegations have been thoroughly investigated by the Supreme Court which found “all the claims against Narendra Modi and found that not a shred of evidence to support them.”

Blackman said Narendra Modi, as then chief minister of Gujarat, had sought additional police resources within Gujarat and beyond and eventually called in the army to help quell the riots.

In his critique of the BBC documentary, Blackman said that it showed Modi making appeals for calm and urging people to not riot and then put contradicted that with a whole another series of different montages together with different people, adding that the people involved in the making of the film, clearly have an axe to grind against Narendra Modi.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs had termed the documentary a “propaganda piece”, saying it reflected a “colonial mindset”, while the Centre has issued directions for blocking YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial piece.

BBC tax survey

Regarding the tax surveys conducted Indian tax authorities at British Broadcasting Corporation’s offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, Blackman said the review of the broadcaster’s tax affairs is “nothing new” and “has been and has been going on for quite some time, adding that there have been prior discussions between India’s taxmen and the BBC and the UK national broadcaster is bound to follow the relevant rules and regulations.

Blackman said its BBC’s job to ensure they are caught with the rules and regulations while operating in the country and while some may view it as an attack on media, that’s not an accurate assessment of the situation.

The MP said that it was merely a review and no suggestions of charges or anything along those lines have been made by the Indian authorities.

On a question asking if BBC film on PM Modi reflects the view of the British government, Blackman dismissed such suggestion and said the BBC is not an arm of the British government and is frequently critical of the UK regime… “and that’s their job, their job is to ask questions, to look for evidence. But the key here is you can ask questions but when there is evidence to the contrary and it’s quite clearly not the case, then you shouldn’t be casting aspersions. I think that is the difference here, which I think it is extremely regrettable because it would seem as if there was some sort of agenda of the BBC to disrupt UK-India relations.”

Blackman hoped that the film would not impact India-UK relations, adding that he, however, agreed to one thing in the BBC documentary which said that Narendra Modi and the BJP government will probably be re-elected next time and the time after.

The British MP said that PM Modi and the BJP deserve it as they done “a remarkable job” in steering India towards becoming the world’s fifth biggest economy now in the world.

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Supreme Court raps Meta over WhatsApp privacy policy

The Supreme Court warned Meta that it would not tolerate any compromise of citizens’ privacy while hearing a case related to WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy and a CCI penalty.

Published

3 hours ago

February 3, 2026

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered strong observations against Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, over the messaging platform’s 2021 privacy policy, warning that it would not tolerate any compromise of citizens’ privacy.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya said the court would not allow the sharing of user data in a manner that exploits Indians, remarking that privacy protections under the Constitution must be followed. “You can’t play with privacy… we will not allow you to share a single digit of our data,” the Chief Justice said during the hearing.

The matter relates to a plea challenging the law tribunal’s decision that upheld a ₹213 crore penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on WhatsApp, while also permitting certain data-sharing practices for advertising purposes.

Court questions accessibility of privacy policy

During the hearing, the court raised concerns about whether WhatsApp’s privacy policy could realistically be understood by large sections of the population, particularly those who are poor or not formally educated.

The bench questioned if users such as roadside vendors, rural residents, or people who do not speak English would be able to comprehend the policy’s terms. It also expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of opt-out clauses, stating that even legally trained individuals find such policies difficult to understand.

Describing the alleged data practices as potentially exploitative, the court said it would not allow private information to be taken without genuine and informed consent from users.

The Chief Justice also cited a personal example, suggesting that users often begin seeing advertisements shortly after exchanging sensitive messages on WhatsApp, such as medical conversations, raising questions about how user data is being utilised.

Arguments from government and Meta

Appearing for the government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta criticised WhatsApp’s data-sharing practices, calling them exploitative and commercially driven. In response, the Chief Justice said that if companies cannot operate in line with constitutional values, they should not do business in India.

Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Akhil Sibal, appearing for Meta and WhatsApp, countered the allegations by asserting that all WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted and that the company cannot read message content.

Background of the case

In November 2024, the CCI ruled against WhatsApp over its 2021 privacy policy, holding that the company had abused its dominant market position by effectively forcing users to accept the updated terms.

The watchdog objected to WhatsApp making continued access to messaging services conditional on permitting data-sharing with other Meta platforms, leading to the imposition of a ₹213 crore fine. Meta has deposited the penalty.

In January 2025, Meta and WhatsApp challenged the CCI order. Later, in November 2025, the law tribunal lifted a five-year restriction on data-sharing while maintaining the financial penalty.

India News

India welcomes US tariff cut as PM Modi thanks Trump for easing trade barriers

PM Modi has thanked US President Donald Trump after the US reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, calling the move beneficial for bilateral trade.

Published

7 hours ago

February 3, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday welcomed US President Donald Trump’s decision to lower tariffs on Indian goods, describing the move as one that unlocks significant opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

Minutes after President Trump announced the reduction on his social media platform, the Prime Minister took to X to express his appreciation, calling the development a boost for “Made in India” products entering the US market.

“Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent,” PM Modi said, thanking President Trump on behalf of India’s 1.4 billion people.

The Prime Minister said he had a “wonderful” conversation with President Trump and underlined the broader significance of the decision, noting that closer economic cooperation between the world’s two largest democracies benefits people on both sides.

PM Modi also said that when two major economies work together, it opens doors for mutually beneficial growth, adding that India supports President Trump’s efforts aimed at global peace, stability, and prosperity. He said he looked forward to strengthening the partnership further.

President Trump, while announcing the tariff reduction, described the move as a “trade deal” and referred to PM Modi as a close friend and a respected leader.

Trade signals positive momentum

The US India Strategic Partnership Forum described the tariff reduction as an important and positive first step in strengthening bilateral trade relations.

While the detailed terms of the agreement are yet to be finalised, the announcement reflects political intent on both sides to move towards a broader US-India bilateral trade agreement. Such an agreement is expected to address issues related to tariffs, market access, non-tariff barriers, and trade across multiple sectors.

How tariffs on Indian goods evolved

The latest decision comes after months of tariff fluctuations on Indian exports to the US.

Timeline of key developments

April 2, 2025: The US imposed a 26% reciprocal tariff on several Indian imports as part of global tariff actions.
April 10, 2025: The tariffs were paused for 90 days, with a 10% duty retained on all US imports.
July 31, 2025: A 25% tariff was announced on Indian goods, along with a warning linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
August 7, 2025: Tariffs were raised to 50%, the highest imposed on any US trade partner at the time.
February 2, 2026: The US announced a reduction in tariffs on Indian goods to 18%.

The latest rollback marks a significant easing of trade tensions and sets the stage for deeper engagement between India and the United States.

India News

US-India trade deal to strengthen strategic partnership, says Amit Shah

Amit Shah says the US-India trade deal with reduced tariffs will elevate strategic partnership and pave the way for stronger trade ties and mutual growth.

Published

7 hours ago

February 3, 2026

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the newly announced trade deal between India and the United States will elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries and pave the way for stronger trade ties and mutual growth.

In a post on social media platform X, Shah said the agreement marks a significant moment in India-US relations, with business between the two nations set to expand further. He noted that the deal, which includes a reduction in reciprocal tariffs, will benefit both countries and their people.

Calling it a “big day” for bilateral ties, Shah said the trade deal has been locked with a significantly reduced tariff of 18 per cent, creating fresh opportunities for economic cooperation. He also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on what he described as a historic agreement.

According to Shah, the agreement will strengthen the strategic partnership between the two democracies and support growth on both sides. He added that trade and business activity between India and the US is expected to flourish in the coming period.

Modi welcomes reduced tariffs on Indian goods

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the development, saying he was delighted that tariffs on “Made in India” products would now be reduced to 18 per cent. He thanked President Trump for the announcement and said the move would benefit the people of both nations.

Modi said cooperation between two large economies and the world’s largest democracies creates opportunities for mutually beneficial growth. He added that such collaboration helps unlock new possibilities for trade and development.

The prime minister also said he looked forward to working closely with the US president to take the bilateral partnership to unprecedented heights.

Trump outlines terms of the agreement

US President Donald Trump said the United States agreed to lower the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent following a phone conversation with Prime Minister Modi. He added that India would move forward to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers against the US.

Trump said New Delhi had also committed to purchasing American goods at a much higher level, including energy, technology, agricultural products, coal and other items. He mentioned that India would buy US energy worth more than USD 500 billion.

The US president said the relationship between the two countries would become even stronger going forward. He also noted that the two leaders discussed the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine during their conversation.

Background to the trade talks

India and the US had agreed earlier to finalise the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement, but negotiations had slowed after higher tariffs were imposed on Indian goods. The latest agreement follows several rounds of talks between the two sides.

Officials said India now faces lower tariffs compared to several competing export economies, which could provide an advantage to Indian exporters in the US market.