India Threaten BBC Over Rapist Interview

JH

India’s home minister has threatened actions against the BBC, after it aired a film in the UK which featured an interview with an Indian rapist on death row. BBC reports:

Rajnath Singh said he would investigate whether “norms have been violated”. Analysts say it is unclear what action he could take as the BBC did not show the film in India, where it is banned. The BBC Storyville film features an interview with a man facing the death penalty over the 2012 rape and murder of a student on a bus in Delhi.

Mukesh Singh is one of four men sentenced to death for the incident, which caused shock and revulsion around the world. In the interview he appears to show no remorse, and instead suggests the victim might have survived if she had not fought back.

Although the film has not been shown in India, some activists were angry that he was interviewed at all. Others were supportive and said the film should be shown to help spark the debate on rape in Indian society. One woman was asked whether she feels safe in India: ”No, I do not feel safe at all” The film was due to be shown on Sunday on the BBC and the Indian channel NDTV.