Britain’s senior Indian-origin Minister, Priti Patel, has made an official complaint to the BBC over its seemingly one-sided coverage of India’s new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
In a letter addressed to BBC Director General lord Tony Hall dated May 19, Priti Patel, — who has been appointed as an Indian Diaspora Champion by British Prime Minister David Cameron — has said she had received a number of complaints from the Indian community based in the UK in reference to the BBC’s ‘Newsnight’ programme aired on May 16 as part of the results coverage of India’s general election.
“Many in the British Indian community, particularly those of Gujarati origin, were offended by the reporting about Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi,” her letter reads.
The Conservative Party MP objected to the programme’s presenter, Yalda Hakim, referring to Modi as a “controversial figure”. “Modi’s political opponents have portrayed him as being ‘controversial’. So by using this reference, the BBC, who should be impartial, is giving acceptance to the political position of Modi’s opponents rather than reporting objectively,” her letter states.