Supreme Court notice to Center regarding ban on BBC documentary, seeks reply in 3 weeks

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Central Government regarding the ban on the controversial BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots. The apex court has asked the Center to reply within 3 weeks. In the BBC documentary 'India: The Modi Question', several claims have been made against PM Modi regarding the Gujarat riots, for which the Center had banned it on social media and online channels.

After the ban on the BBC documentary, a situation of controversy had arisen across the country. After which, against the ban, senior journalist N. Ram, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and advocate Prashant Bhushan filed a petition in the Supreme Court. In the petition filed in the Supreme Court, the petitioners said that the government is scared of the truth shown in the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) documentary. It was said in the petition that this ban is malicious and arbitrary as well as unconstitutional.

Despite the ban on the controversial BBC documentary, some student unions have screened it on various university campuses across the country. Violence was also seen at many places after this and electricity was also cut off at Ambedkar University in Delhi to stop its screening.

A petition has also been filed regarding the complete ban. The Supreme Court asked to mention again on Friday for urgent listing of the petition seeking a complete ban on the BBC documentary in India. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud asked the counsel appearing for the petitioner to mention the matter on Friday. The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta and Birender Kumar Singh, a farmer. In which an inquiry has also been demanded against the BBC and its employees. The petition states that a deep-rooted conspiracy has been hatched in the BBC documentary against the global rise of India and Prime Minister Modi.