New Delhi/IBNS: The United States has stressed on the "importance of free press" reacting to New Delhi's banning of the controversial BBC documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, media reports said.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said as quoted by various media, "We support the importance of a free press around the world."

"We continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles, such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief, as human rights that contribute to the strengthening of our democracies.

"This is a point we make in our relationships around the world. It's certainly a point we've made in India as well," Price added.

The Centre has blocked access to the two-part BBC documentary which claims to have investigated certain aspects of the 2002 Gujarat riots when Modi was the state's Chief Minister.

The government on Friday directed social media platforms Twitter and YouTube to block links to the series.

Earlier, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the two-part docu-series was a 'propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative'.