JNU Authorities asks Students to Cancel Screening of Controversial BBC Documentary on Modi
NEW DELHI, Jan 23: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) authorities on Monday asked students to cancel the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots, “India: The Modi Question” scheduled for Tuesday. The move comes after the Centre had issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary.
The University administration said it might “disturb peace and harmony of the university campus.” The administration also said no prior permission for this event was taken from it.
“It has come to the notice of the administration that a group of students have in the name of JNUSU released a pamphlet for screening a documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ scheduled for 24th January 2023 at 9:00 pm in Teflas. No prior permission for this event has been taken from the JNU Administration. This is to emphasize that such an unauthorised activity may disturb peace and harmony of the University Campus,” the advisory read.
The concerned students or individuals are firmly advised to cancel the proposed programme immediately, failing which strict disciplinary action may be initiated as per the University rules,” it read.
The Centre described as a “propaganda piece” the documentary, which shows the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots raising questions on Modi, who was the chief minister of Gujarat then, on handling of the riots. Union law minister Kiren Rijiju has slammed the controversial documentary saying India’s image cannot be disgraced with “malicious campaigns.”
Lashing out at the Centre, Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Derek O’Brien shared the link to the documentary and vowed to fight against “censorship.”
(Manas Dasgupta)
