NEW YORK: A new documentary by ABC News, spearheaded by reporter Avani Dias, has unveiled serious allegations against the Modi government concerning its treatment of journalists and minority communities, extending both within India and on an international scale.
The documentary details how Dias, alongside other foreign journalists such as French reporter Vanessa Dougnec and several from Al Jazeera, faced significant obstacles while reporting in India, especially during election times.
These journalists reportedly had their visas denied or were expelled from the country, indicating a pattern of repression towards critics of the Modi administration.
Dias’s work highlights various instances of censorship, including the forced removal of videos covering sensitive topics like the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. She also shared experiences of receiving threats from Indian authorities after such content was deleted.
Over its decade-long rule, the Modi government is accused of consistently targeting foreign journalists as part of a broader crackdown on dissent.
The documentary also sheds light on the systematic actions against minority groups, specifically Sikhs and Muslims, citing the involvement of organizations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) in training operatives for violent acts against these communities.
Furthermore, the report connects the Indian government to severe international incidents, including the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nagar in Canada and the attempted assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu in the United States, with investigative findings from these countries implicating the Modi government.
The documentary also exposes alleged espionage activities, where Indian intelligence officers were expelled from Australia in 2020 after attempts to procure sensitive defense technologies, as confirmed by Australia’s Chief of Security Intelligence Organization.
