I-T search at BBC's offices: We stand up for BBC, says UK govt

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. File pic/AFP

The British government has strongly defended the BBC and its editorial freedom in Parliament after the Income-Tax department's survey operations on the UK-headquartered media corporation's New Delhi and Mumbai offices over three days last week.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) junior minister responded to an urgent question raised in the House of Commons on Tuesday to say that the government cannot comment on the allegations made by the I-T department over an "ongoing investigation" but stressed that media freedom and freedom of speech are essential elements of "robust democracies".

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David Rutley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the FCDO, pointed to a "broad and deep relationship" with India that meant the UK was able to discuss a wide range of issues in a "constructive manner". "We stand up for the BBC. We fund the BBC. We think the BBC World Service is vital. We want the BBC to have that editorial freedom," said Rutley.

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