BBC suspends Gary Lineker, reveals its zero tolerance to criticism of UK government

Revealing its double standards and hypocrisy, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has made it clear that there will be zero criticism of the United Kingdom government after it suspended legendary footballer and BBC sports commentator Gary Lineker after he criticised the British government for its immigration policy. While the BBC acted swiftly against Lineker for his innocuous post on Twitter questioning and United Kingdom’s policy on migrants and refugees, the news organisation has been indulging in blatantly biased coverage of events in several other countries including India.

Lineker had in a tweet stated that the language used in the UK government’s policy on immigrants mirrored the one used by Germany in the 1930s. While he recieved support from several of his followers and fellow sportspersons, there was another set of people who started to troll him.

There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?

— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker)

Soon after his tweet, the BBC decided to act against Lineker and on Saturday, March 11, removed him from its flagship football show. Lineker was BBC’s highest-paid football presenter.

However, soon after his suspension, several former footballers came out in his support. He was backed by co-hosts Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, who said that they would not be turning up to present Saturday’s show on BBC.

BBC also faced a strike by its on-screen staff and after it was unable to find replacements, the decision was taken that the Premier League highlights programme would continue without any hosts or studio presentation and would feature just the match's footage.

BBC's statement on suspension of Lineker

As per a statement, the BBC asked Lineker to step back after "extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days".
The statement read, "it decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media."

It added, "We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can't have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies."

BBC's former director general Greg Dyke criticises the decision

Moreover, BBC's former director general Greg Dyke criticised the decision by the corporation and said that BBC has “undermined its own credibility” as it would be seen as a bowed-down firm to government pressure over its decision to suspend Gary Lineker from hosting duties on Match of the Day.

BBC's controversial documentary on PM Modi 

After BBC released 'India: The Modi Question', a documentary about the 2002 Gujarat riots this year, several prominet Indian voices and even central ministers raised  questions about the motive behind the documentary. The documentary led to controversy after it disregarded the Supreme Court's clear ruling and made references to PM Modi's management of the riots while he served as chief minister of Gujarat during the riots in 2002.

While the documentary faced severe criticism in India, the Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution urging the Centre to take act against the BBC for tarnishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image with its documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots.