AAP on BBC tax probe: 'PM has reached heights of dictatorship'

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday slammed the Centre over the Income Tax survey operation at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached the "heights of dictatorship".

The I-T department conducted the operation earlier in the day as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion, according to officials.

The surprise action comes weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary, "India: The Modi Question" even as the Centre blocked access to this series at multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing any links.

"Modi ji, you have reached the heights of dictatorship," said AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who is also the party's national spokesperson, in a tweet in Hindi, reacting sharply to the survey.

"First, imposed a ban on the BBC documentary. Now raids at their offices...Don't forget Modi ji, Hitler's dictatorship also came to an end. Your dictatorship will also end," the AAP leader added.

The two-part BBC documentary, which claims it investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots when Modi was the chief minister of the state, has been trashed by the Ministry of External Affairs as a "propaganda piece" that lacked objectivity and reflected a "colonial mindset".

Last week, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking to impose a complete ban on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in India in wake of the documentary series, terming it "entirely misconceived" and "absolutely meritless".

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