BBC documentary row: After JNU, Jamia students detained over screening of ‘India-The Modi Question’

The controversy over the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots has breached past the political row and is now causing havoc in noted universities like the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia.

After the major controversy over the screening of the BBC documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ in JNU, a similar situation has now erupted in Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, with several students ending up getting detained and riot police being deployed in the university.

The Students Federation of India (SFI) had announced a screening of the BCC documentary on campus, after which the administration of the Jamia Millia Islamia issued an order saying that they will not allow any unauthorised gatherings on campus.

The screening of the BBC documentary caused a major ruckus on campus on Tuesday evening, with the classes in the university suspended and three students of a left-wing students group detained due to the disturbance caused on campus.

Police reached the gates of Jamia Millia Islamia decked up in blue riot gear and tear gas canons, with the aim of containing the disturbance caused by the screening of the BBC documentary. This comes shortly after a similar incident took place at JNU and Hyderabad University.

The Centre, just days after the documentary was released by BBC, had banned the screening of the film in the country and also asked Twitter and YouTube to take down accounts that were sharing links and clips of the film based on PM Modi.

After the screening of ‘India: The Modi Question’ was stopped by the authorities, students of Jamia reportedly took out a protest against the Vice Chancellor of the University, urging him to resign and stop the “censorship” on campus.

‘India: The Modi Question’ has sparked a major controversy in India due to the nature of the contents and the link drawn between PM Modi and the horrific 2002 Gujarat riots. The government has denounced the documentary, while the opposition has slammed Centre for “censorship”.

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