On Sunday (April 16), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) courted controversy for attempting to stir sympathy in favour of deceased gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed.
The UK’s national broadcaster published a report, which was titled ‘Atiq Ahmed: The brazen murder of an Indian mafia don-turned-politician.’ Written by one Geeta Pandey, it initially delved into the circumstances leading up to the assassination of Atiq Ahmed
Thereafter, BBC weaved a sorry tale around his childhood days. “The 60-year-old was born in a poor family in Prayagraj and was a school dropout…” the report read.
Atiq Ahmed was "Robin Hood, a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde type of character" who helped poor people, paying for weddings & school uniforms, gave money during Eid. But this persona unravelled with mounting accusations of heinous crimes. My report for @BBCIndia https://t.co/KiyVYepslA
— GeetaPandeyBBC (@geetapandeyBBC) April 16, 2023
Hinting at a rags-to-riches story, it added, “…But over the years he amassed huge wealth, enjoyed political patronage and power and came to wield immense influence in the city of his birth and beyond.”
Citing former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh, BBC highlighted how the gangster Atiq Ahmed was a sort of ‘Robinhood’ who helped people in distress.
“(He) spent lavishly to help poor people – paying for weddings, giving them money during Eid festivals, and helping poor women buy school uniforms and books for their children,” the UK’s national broadcaster quoted Singh as saying.
BBC casts aspersion on Asad Ahmed’s encounter
The news publication also pointed out how the family of Asad Ahmed is being hounded by law enforcement authorities.
“The February murder caught on video set in motion a chain of events that has left Ahmed and several members of his family and supporters dead, his wife on the run with a bounty on her head, two of his sons in jail and the remaining two sons who are minors in government protection homes,” the report read.
BBC also cast doubts on the police encounter of Asad Ahmed, the son of Atiq Ahmed, but did not delve into the details of his criminal activity.
“On Thursday, his 19-year-old son Asad and an aide were killed by the police in a so-called encounter – with accusations flying that they were shot dead in a planned execution,” it claimed.
UK’s national broadcaster finds ‘Muslim angle’
BBC was also successful in discovering a ‘Muslim angle’ and suggesting that the assassination of the gangster-politician had left the streets of Prayagraj deserted in the month of Ramzan.
“Many parts of Prayagraj were a ghost town on Sunday morning. The main bazaars in the old city – usually buzzing with activity at this time of the year as Muslims celebrate the festival of Eid – were deserted,” it claimed.
It further stated, “Police vans and officers are deployed on almost every street. Internet services are down in most parts. And locals are reluctant to talk to the media or say anything about the murders.”
BBC was also able to find a 40-year-old anonymous ‘Muslim’ man, who was left wondering whether the assassination of Atiq Ahmed was related to his Islamic Faith.
“Many of us are wondering if he was killed because he was a Muslim. I don’t know if that’s true, but this incident has terrified the city. We deserve better,” the anonymous man was quoted as saying by the BBC.
BBC dwells on the political career of Atiq Ahmed
Another article published by BBC on the gangster focused on every other aspect except for the criminal record of Atiq Ahmed.
“Experts have raised questions on how a man could be killed in front of the media and the police,” the UK’s national broadcaster insinuated about BJP government’s involvement in the assassination.
Former Indian politician Atiq Ahmed and brother shot dead live on TV https://t.co/OQn1fZs3JP
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) April 16, 2023
Not surprisingly, BBC also laid emphasis on the meteoric rise of the gangster in the political sphere. It also cast doubts about the encounters carried out by the Uttar Pradesh police.
“Rights activists accuse the police of carrying out extra-judicial killings, which the state’s government denies. The police usually calls them “encounters” – many say these are really staged confrontations which almost invariably end with dead criminals and unscathed police,” BBC claimed.
