The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing on petitions contesting the Indian government's ban on the BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" until January 2025.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar decided to adjourn the case, noting that a counter affidavit from the Centre is still pending. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, stated he would submit the counter within the next two weeks.
The two-part documentary, which focuses on the 2002 Gujarat riots, was originally set to air in January 2023. The government had prohibited its release in India and directed the blocking of several YouTube videos and Twitter posts that contained links to the documentary.
The Ministry of External Affairs criticized the film, labeling it a "propaganda piece" that "lacked objectivity" and demonstrated a "colonial mindset." In its statement, the Ministry emphasized that the documentary has been blocked on all social media platforms, and any attempts to screen it would infringe upon Intellectual Property Rights.