New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday termed as "intimidation tactics" the Income Tax survey operation at the BBC offices and alleged that the action shows that the Modi government is scared of criticism.
The Income Tax Department on Tuesday conducted a survey operation at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion, officials said.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that while the party is demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe on the Adani issue, the "government is after the BBC".
He also used a Hindi idiom to attack the government, saying "Vinash Kale, Vipreet Buddhi" (When doom approaches, a person's intellect works against his interest).
"Here we are demanding JPC on the Adani issue but the government is after the BBC. Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi," Ramesh said.
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the IT raid at BBC's offices "reeks of desperation and shows that the Modi government is scared of criticism".
"We condemn these intimidation tactics in the harshest terms. This undemocratic and dictatorial attitude cannot go on any longer," he said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, TMC MP Mahua Moitra asked if the "raids" on the BBC offices would be followed by one on "Mr A" in an apparent dig at Adani Group chief Gautam Adani.
"Since agencies doing these Valentine Day 'Surveys' how about @IncomeTaxIndia, @SEBI_India & @dir_ed conduct one on govt's most valued sweetheart Mr. A?," she said in a tweet tagging SEBI and the Enforcement Directorate.
"Reports of Income Tax raid at BBC's Delhi office. Wow, really? How unexpected. Meanwhile farsaan seva for Adani when he drops in for a chat with Chairman @SEBI_India office," the TMC MP said in another tweet.
The action by the IT Department comes weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary -- "India: The Modi Question".
IT dept should be allowed to do its work: BJP
The BJP on Tuesday accused the BBC of unleashing "venomous" reporting against India and alleged that its propaganda and the Congress' agenda go together.
Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia rejected the Congress' criticism of the Income Tax (I-T) action and said the government agency should be allowed to do its job.
Hitting out at the London-headquartered public broadcaster, he said BBC is the "most corrupt" organisation in the world, adding that the Congress should remember that the then prime minister Indira Gandhi had also banned the broadcaster.
The BJP leader further claimed that BBC has a "tainted and black history of working with malice against India".
He cited its past reports, including the one which described a terrorist as a "charismatic young militant" and allegedly called Holi a "filthy" festival. It works in India, but has little regard for its constitution, he said.
At a time when India is marching ahead globally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, there are many powers which do not like it, Bhatia said, claiming that the Congress, its leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties also feel the "pain" at the country's rise.
Accusing the opposition Congress of supporting "anti-national" forces, he said, "Your hate for Modi is so much that you politicise even a probe agency's work. You always question constitutional authorities like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission."
