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Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Why is BBC India facing criticism over Pahalgam terror attack?
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has once again come under criticism in India, this time over its coverage of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. On April 22, terrorists opened fire and killed 26 people, mostly tourists, at the Baisaran meadow near the picturesque town. Officials told Hindustan Times on Monday that the Indian government has issued a formal letter to the BBC, expressing strong disapproval of its coverage of the Pahalgam attack, particularly objecting to the description of terrorists as 'militants'. According to PTI news agency, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) communicated India's strong sentiments to Jackie Martin, BBC's India Head, regarding the network's coverage of the Pahalgam incident. 'A formal letter has been sent to the BBC on terming terrorists as militants. The External Publicity Division of the MEA will be monitoring the reporting of the BBC,' an official was quoted as saying by PTI. Separately, officials said the Indian government has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly spreading provocative, communally sensitive, and misleading narratives against India, its Army, and security forces following the Pahalgam attack. The blocked YouTube channels include: Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Referenc, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News, and Razi Naama. Before the current controversy surrounding the Pahalgam terror attack coverage, the BBC faced criticism in 2023 when the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the UK organisation. The notice was based on a suit filed by a Gujarat-based NGO, which alleged that the BBC's documentary 'India: The Modi Question' defamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian judiciary. The two-part documentary focused on the 2002 Gujarat riots, when Modi served as the state's chief minister. The first part was released on January 18, 2023, and the second on January 24, 2023, on the BBC's website and aired on its UK-based television channel 'BBC Two'. The UK's national broadcaster has defended the film, saying it 'was rigorously researched according to the highest editorial standards', while the Indian government dismissed the documentary as 'propaganda' and a product of the 'colonial mindset'. In January of that year, the BJP government directed video-sharing platform YouTube to remove the documentary and asked Twitter to remove related posts. In February, the Supreme Court rejected a public interest litigation that sought a ban on the BBC in India, calling the petition 'completely misconceived'. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also initiated a FEMA investigation against BBC India in April 2023, following findings from the Income Tax Department's three-day survey at the broadcaster's offices in Delhi and other cities in February that year.
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube channel banned in India after Pahalgam attack? What we know
The central government on Monday blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating "false, provocative and communally sensitive content" about India, with the channel of former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar also seemingly affected. While Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube channel is not included in the government-issued list, opening it on the platform yields a message saying it can't be viewed in India. 'This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order,' the message says. The government's move follows recommendations from the ministry of home affairs in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in the upper reaches of Pahalgam, in which 26 people lost their lives while several others were left injured. The YouTube channels included in the government's ban list are Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News, and Razi Naama. "On the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India has banned Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir," PTI quoted officials as saying. A group of terrorists fired upon tourists in a meadow near Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam last Tuesday. 26 people, including 25 Indians and a Nepali citizen, lost their lives in the attack that sent shockwaves through the country and even beyond. The union government suspended the Indus Waters Treaty along with several other measures like visa cancellations for Pakistani citizens, to put pressure on the western neighbour to cease cross-border terrorism. Islamabad also threatened to pull out of all agreements with India, and reciprocated with other measures. For the last four days, the Pakistani forces have violated the ceasefire agreement along the LoC and fired upon Indian positions.
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Full list of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels blocked by Centre for spreading hate
India on Monday banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading provocative, communally sensitive content and misinformation against India. The move comes in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 people, mostly civilians. The decision was made on the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs. 1- Dawn News 2- Irshad Bhatti 3- SAMAA TV 4- ARY NEWS 5- BOL NEWS 6- Ratar 7- The Pakistan Reference 8- Geo News 9- Samaa Sports 10- GNN 11- Uzair Cricket 12- Umar Cheema Exclusive 13- Asma Shirazi 14- Muneeb Faroog 15- SUNO News 16- Razi Naama On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists attacked tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 people. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans. The terrorist attack sparked global outrage, with widespread protests erupting across the country and outside, demanding stricter action against Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Kupwara districts, continuing with their ceasefire violations along the LoC, Army officials said on Monday. This was the fourth consecutive night that Pakistan resorted to small-arms fire along the Line of Control (LoC) and came amid heightened tension between New Delhi and Islamabad following last week's terror attack in Pahalgam.
