West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Income Tax Department survey operation at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai. Calling it “very unfortunate”, the TMC supremo alleged that the BJP is running the government with a “political vendetta”.
“It is not only affecting the freedom of the press but also there will be no media left in the country. The media is already controlled by them (BJP). I am sorry to say that the media cannot raise their voice. If they do, their management will just cut their service within 24 hours. This is their (BJP’s) controlling power,” she alleged, reported news agency ANI.
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Banerjee compared the saffron party to Hitler and alleged that its “only mandate is a dictatorship”. “I am abided by the mandate of the people. Where is their (BJP) mandate? They don’t care about the people’s mandate. BJP’s only mandate is a dictatorship, (they are) more than Hitler. My sympathy and my support with the media and BBC,” she said.
The I-T department on Wednesday continued its ‘survey operation’ at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai for the second consecutive day to investigate the alleged tax evasion – just weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots – ‘India: The Modi Question’. The Centre had also issued directions to block several YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary.
Also read: BBC says some staff asked to remain in office, cooperating with I-T probe
Meanwhile, the BBC on Tuesday said that it is “fully cooperating” with the IT department. “The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating,” the British broadcaster said on Twitter. “We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible,” it added.
(With inputs from ANI)