India uses emergency powers to block BBC documentary on Prime Minister

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India says it has used emergency powers to block a BBC documentary about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from being shared online.

The two-part programme – India: The Modi Question – questions Mr Modi’s leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The first episode was broadcast in the UK on Tuesday, and while it did not air in India, content was shared online, according to government adviser Kanchan Gupta.

He said the government had issued orders to both YouTube and Twitter to block content, using legislation under the country’s information and technology rules. He said both social media companies had complied.

Last week, a spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry termed the BBC documentary a “propaganda piece” meant to push a “discredited narrative”.

Rishi Sunak was also asked about the documentary at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday.

Imran Hussain, Labour MP for Bradford East, asked the prime minister about claims in the film that the Foreign Office “knew the extent of Mr Modi’s involvement in the Gujarat massacre,” and asked whether Mr Sunak believed Mr Modi was “directly responsible” for the violence that ensued.

Mr Sunak answered: “The UK Government’s position on that is clear and long standing, and it has not changed. Of course, we do not tolerate persecution anywhere, but I am not sure that I agree at all with the characterisation that the honourable gentleman has put forward.”

India is the largest democracy in the world. The country has two main religious groups, with Hindus making up around 80% of the population and Muslims around 14% of the population, according to a 2011 census.