The Government of India has formally objected to British broadcaster BBC’s reportage on the Pahalgam terror attack, criticising the use of terms like 'militants' and 'gunmen' to describe the perpetrators, who are identified as terrorists.
In an official communication addressed to Jackie Martin, the BBC’s India head, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed its displeasure. “A formal letter has been sent to the BBC regarding its terminology in reporting, where terrorists were referred to as militants. The External Publicity Division of the MEA will be closely monitoring BBC’s coverage moving forward,” the ministry stated.
BBC’s coverage of the Pahalgam terror attack
The BBC had provided extensive coverage of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, during which 26 people, primarily tourists, were killed. In its reporting, the broadcaster used words like 'militants' and 'gunmen' to describe the attackers, who had indiscriminately fired upon a batch of tourists.
One BBC report referred to the terrorists as "gunmen" and stated: “A huge manhunt is underway for the militants suspected of carrying out the killings.”
The broadcaster also described Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based organisation officially designated as a terrorist group, as a "militant group". The report read: “Police say all the three are members of the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).”
Also Read: India bans Pak YouTube channels, including Shoaib Akhtar's
Ongoing tensions between India and the BBC
This incident marks another episode in the ongoing tensions between the Indian government and the BBC over its coverage of Indian affairs.
In January 2023, the Centre had strongly criticised the BBC following the release of a documentary titled India: The Modi Question. The documentary examined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged role during the 2002 Gujarat riots, prompting sharp condemnation from the Indian government.
The Ministry of External Affairs denounced the film as a "propaganda piece" that reflected a "colonial mindset" and propagated a discredited narrative.
Subsequently, the government invoked emergency laws to block the documentary in India, directing platforms such as YouTube and Twitter to remove links to it, citing concerns over potential threats to public order and India’s international image.
Also Read: Parliamentary Defence panel to discuss Pahalgam attack today
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