BBC documentary
The central government has moved rather swiftly to block the BBC documentary. While the party in power often highlights the report submitted by the Special Investigation Team absolving those who matter of any wrong-doing, one would like to recollect a telling account of those troubled days of 2002 in the book, The Sarkari Mussalman. By the same logic applied now, the book too would merit a ban.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
The central government’s move to block the BBC documentary appears to be censorship of the media. This does not go with the principles of democracy. People’s power to analyse issues should not be underestimated.
P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam, Kerala
The BBC is not an organisation to propagate falsehood. There are some who have raised the issue of timing. Is there any time frame to air a well-analysed picture of any issue about which doubts still persist? The outright blocking of the documentary in question will only raise many questions on a dark event that is an indelible mark on the fabric of Indian history.
Tharcius S. Fernando,
Chennai
There are many of us in India who know what the truth is despite various “clean chits”. There is nothing much we can do except try and put the past behind us and move on. But one of the powerful voices of the world cannot be stopped. The BBC as an organisation has no agenda. However, the timing of the airing of its documentary evokes curiosity.
S. Kamat,
Alto Santa Cruz, Goa
One wonders what the purpose behind the BBC documentary is. It may be recalled that after prolonged investigations by various agencies, and later the higher judiciary, the issue was closed. The BBC has lost its credibility in India which was built brick by brick by Mark Tully. One wonders what he has to say.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda, Telangana
For a simmering issue that had attained finality by way of a judicial verdict, it is most unfortunate that an esteemed news broadcasting agency has attempted to reopen the wounds. One fails to understand the logic and its timing. Although the British leader has taken gross exception to the documentary, its release appears to be more of an attempt to discredit India’s ruling dispensation.
It is pertinent to mention here that the electorate of the State had given their unambiguous verdict on the Gujarat riots, which was the central theme in successive Assembly elections. It is ironic that a reputed broadcasting agency has not examined the horrendous Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, the blatant violation of human rights in Iraq on the pretext of unearthing weapons of mass destruction, and even the West’s dubious role in Afghanistan.
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
Without going into the merits and the demerits of the development, one wonders whether the BBC would have reacted with the same alacrity in unearthing the truth about the non-existent “weapons of mass-destruction” of Saddam Hussain. Children perished in their thousands due to an embargo on basic medicines. It was a different Vietnam that was recreated.
Shashi Bhushan,
Secunderabad
Taking aim at the judiciary
One does not need the brain of Einstein to understand what the government, under the guise of correcting the ‘flawed’ collegium system, intends to achieve through its relentless and shrewd attempts to weaken the judiciary — to ultimately unleash sweeping powers without much judicial oversight. The media, the political Opposition and the judiciary play a vital role in checking executive excesses. Any dilution in the independence of the judiciary in India will be disastrous.
N. Raveendra Babu,
Hyderabad
