Delhi University student’s outfit calls for screening of BBC documentary on PM Modi

Student groups are advocating for the BBC documentary to be shown at Delhi University and Ambedkar University following its showing at JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia. Proctor Rajni Abbi said on Friday that the university would not permit the screening because the groups had not asked for permission.

"We have written to Delhi Police regarding this. They will take action. Proper police deployment would be done. We cannot allow such a screening," Abbi told PTI.

"We have received information that NSUI is planning to screen this documentary at the Arts faculty... No permission has been sought for it. We will not allow such behaviour," she said, adding that the film has been banned by the government.

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which is affiliated with the Congress party, has announced that it will screen a documentary about the Godhra riots of 2002 at 4 p.m. in North Campus; the Bhim Army Student Federation has announced that it will screen the film at 5 p.m. outside the Arts Faculty in DU.

According to a senior police official, the university has enough security systems to ensure the safety of the surrounding community.

"We will ensure that law and order is maintained by the deployment of police personnel, paramilitary forces and patrolling staff. Videography will also be done and we would also be using drones to videograph the entire act," he said.

"However, we are making all the efforts to persuade students to not conduct any screening on the roads in the Delhi University campus. We will ensure that law and order is maintained and have taken adequate measures accordingly," the officer added.

The Students' Federation of India (SFI) has issued a demand for a 1 pm showing of the documentary at the Delhi government-run Ambedkar University near Kashmere Gate.

An gathering will be held by the left-leaning All India Students' Association (AISA) to denounce the violence that broke out at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia earlier this week in response to a request to play the film.

Join For the BBC Documentary Screening of "India : The Modi Question"
Tomorrow at 5PM ,at Art's faculty gate no 4, Delhi University

Bhim Army Student Federation, Delhi University#BBCdocumentry pic.twitter.com/DDuBTo7QTR

— Bhim Army Student Federation DU (@basf_du) January 26, 2023

An representative from the institution indicated that they found out about the screening via news coverage. According to the official, no request for approval was ever made.

The External Affairs Ministry has condemned the documentary "India: The Modi Question" as "propaganda piece" that lacks impartiality and exhibits a colonial attitude, and the government has lately ordered social media networks to ban links to the film.

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The Jamia Millia Islamia on Wednesday became the centre of a kerfuffle after SFI's plans to organise the screening of the documentary were thwarted by the varsity and the police.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) too, witnessed a ruckus and protests over the screening of the same on Tuesday.

(With inputs from PTI)