Political vendetta of the BJP government: Mamata on I-T "survey" of BBC

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday described as “very unfortunate” the Income Tax department’s survey on BBC India’s offices and alleged that it is political vendetta of the BJP-led central government.

“It is very unfortunate; it is political vendetta of the BJP government,” Banerjee said at her chamber in the West Bengal assembly.

Such actions affect freedom of the press, she said alleging that the saffron party is controlling the media.

“One day there will be no media in the country.… They (BJP leaders) don’t care about people’s mandate, their only mandate is dictatorship. (They are) more than Hitler,” she said.

The tax department had begun the survey on Tuesday at the BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices along with at least two linked premises as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion against the British broadcaster in India. The operation continued on Wednesday. 

The raid follows days after the release of the documentary 'India: The Modi Question' by the UK broadcaster which explored Modi's involvement in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The Centre subsequently banned access to the documentary nationally.

As soon as news broke of the raid at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai, the opposition, including the Congress, TMC and the Left was quick to react to it.