Supreme Court issues notice to Centre over plea against censoring BBC documentary on PM Modi

New Delhi, Feb 3: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and sought its response to a plea seeking direction to restrain the Central government from censoring the BBC documentary relating to the 2002 Gujarat Riots.

 

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and MM Sundresh asked the Central government to file its response within three weeks and posted it for hearing in April. It refused to pass interim order on the plea saying it cannot pass any interim order without hearing the government and directed it to produce all records on the next hearing date.

 

 

"We direct respondents to produce original records on the next date of hearing," the bench stated in its order.

 

 

Senior advocate CU Singh appearing for Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Mahua Moitra, senior journalist N Ram, and advocate Prashant Bhushan told the bench the IT Rules mandate the publication of the emergency blocking orders within 48 hours.

 

"The Centre on the basis of the secret order blocked the documentary and on the basis of this secret order, universities are taking action against students for screening the documentary", Singh said. Singh sought a shorter date for the case, the bench, however, declined his request.

 

 

Justice Khanna said, "It is also a fact that people have been accessing those videos."

 

On January 21, the Centre issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary. Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta has also filed a PIL in the apex court seeking to impose a complete ban on BBC's documentary.

 

The PIL also sought direction from the National Investigating Agency to initiate an investigation against the anti-India and anti-Indian-government reporting/documentary films/short films including its employee journalist in India and to submit an inquiry report before the apex court.