The US Department of State on Wednesday said that it continues to highlight the importance of free press around the world when asked to share its view on the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The documentary, India: The Modi Question, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi – then the chief minister of Gujarat – had prevented the police from acting to prevent the violence during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The first part of the documentary, released on January 17, alleges that a team sent by the British government had found that Modi was “directly responsible for a climate of impunity” that led to the violence against Muslims.
On January 21, the Indian government had directed YouTube and Twitter to remove links to the BBC's documentary by invoking the emergency blocking orders under the Information Technology Rules of 2021.
The Modi administration has called the film "propaganda," and has also banned it from being streamed or shared on social media.
New Delhi has decried the documentary as having a "colonial mindset," calling it "propaganda" and "anti-India garbage."
The BBC, however, says the film was "rigorously researched" and included many different views of Modi and his career, including from people in his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On Wednesday, the US State Department spokesperson Ned Price was asked whether banning of the BBC documentary was a matter of press freedom or freedom of speech.
“We continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles, such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief, as human rights that contribute to the strengthening of our democracies.” Price said. “This is a point we make in our relationships around the world. It's certainly a point we've made in India as well.”
The statement comes as screening of the documentary was disrupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Jamia Millia Islamia University. On Wednesday, the Delhi Police detained at least twelve students ahead of a planned screening of the documentary, The Indian Express reported.
The screening could not take place at the Jamia Milia Islamia University on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University had alleged that they were attacked with stones after a power and internet outage at the campus halted the screening. Students had also alleged that the power was intentionally cut off by the university administration.
In Hyderabad, members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, which is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, had filed a complaint with the Hyderabad University authorities against the screening of the documentary.
Such intense pressure has triggered allegations of censorship and attacks on press freedom from Modi's opponents.
Human Rights Watch criticized efforts to ban the film as typical for the Modi administration, which it says has frequently taken harsh measures to quash stories it doesn't like.
Modi has been criticized for remaining largely silent on incidents of anti-Muslim violence since being elected as prime minister in 2014 and was temporarily denied visas by the US, the UK and the EU over the 2002 violence in Gujarat.
