Thread by @gauravsabnis

The most significant thing about the #BBCDocumentary is that it is from the BBC. Modi's usual tactics of blaming everything on vaguely known foreign powers can't work as much against BBC, that for generations, has been in India in many languages. And has always played it fair.

Of course they are doing the same thing they try against NY Times or Washington Post or New Yorker, but those are still American publications not read by 99% Indians.

But most Indians have grown up hearing & watching the BBC & knowing it is NOT someone with an "agenda".

And that's why Modi & co are cracking the whip extra hard. They know that the BBC doesn't even listen to its own government NOR give a crap about advertisers or commercial deals. They know BBC has a credibility in India few outlets do. They know this isn't going well for them.

The politically smart thing to do would have been to just ignore the documentary, let the inevitable news cycle churn lead to it being forgotten in a few weeks.

But BJP is riding extra high on shooting from the hip these days. They have given the documentary an allure now.

It's not that the charges in the documentary as a reveal, by themselves, will change a lot of minds.

But it does now create a few news cycles where Modi is on the defensive. They need to dominate news cycles to keep winning. They know that.

Something big is coming to deflect.

It is such a historic headline, it's going to be everywhere!

World's largest democracy using emergency powers to block the world's most trusted and objectively agenda free media agency.

https://twitter.com/catcheronthesly/status/1617454700479279106?t=8TNDZEQmdh0buS3_ylZQbQ&s=19