The CEO of India’s largest public broadcasting agency has declined an invitation from the BBC after accusing the latter of “one-sided” reporting on the Delhi violence.
Prasar Bharati’s CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati has refused BBC’s invitation to attend an awards function for Indian sportswomen slated to be held on March 8.
Vempati had been invited for the BBC’s Indian Sportswoman of the Year awards ceremony, to celebrating the UN International Women’s Day.
However, in his letter to BBC Director General Tony Hall, he said, “I must respectfully decline the invitation in view of the recent coverage of the BBC of certain incidents of violence in Delhi.
“As a fellow public broadcaster of global repute, it is dismaying that the BBC has filed such a singularly one-sided version of the incidents of violence in Delhi which rather than help break the cycle of violence has only contributed to further vitiating the atmosphere while insinuating the brave men and women in uniform who are charged with the onerous responsibility of maintaining law and order.”
According to him, BBC’s report showed certain visuals of the Delhi Police without context to insinuate communal behaviour. He further noted, unfortunately, nowhere in the entire report have the BBC journalists mentioned the murderous assault on the men in uniform by a mob which resulted in the death of a head constable in the line of duty and also resulted in the fatal injuries received by a deputy commissioner of police in uniform.
The report was also “damningly silent” on the murder of an Intelligence Bureau official. He concluded,
“BBC and Prasar Bharati must respect the sovereignty of the nations we primarily serve even as we collaborate beyond borders on multilateral fora for the greater global good.
“I hope the BBC would review its editorial views on reports of this nature in line with this spirit.”
