The BBC documentary dispute has heated up, with a complaint filed against the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) for displaying the forbidden documentary on campus. This comes a day after the JNU administration requested students to cancel the controversial BBC docuseries on the 2002 Gujarat riots, which was due to be shown on campus on January 24.
According to the reports, the complaint was filed against the JNUSU and other organizers intending to show the illegal documentary on campus. The complaint was filed by Vineet Jindal, an advocate, and social activist at the Vasant Kunj police station on Tuesday morning. The documentary series titled ‘India: The Modi Question’ has sparked widespread outrage in India. The said documentary series has also been labelled a propaganda work by the Union administration.
Jindal said in his lawsuit that the documentary’s primary objective is to sow discord in the country and discredit Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As the documentary has been banned by the central government, anyone organizing its screening has the same goal of causing religious separation and inciting hatred, the complaint read.
He further stated that, while the JNU administration has denied permission, certain students and organizers are still planning to show the documentary. As a result, the screening should be cancelled, and legal action should be taken against the organizers.
JNU asks to cancel the screening of the documentary “India: The Modi Question” scheduled for 24th Jan by a group of students stating that “such an unauthorised activity may disturb peace & harmony in the University.”. pic.twitter.com/yQwDah9xx7
— ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2023
“We all know about the documentary has already been banned in India but even after this basic purpose of making this documentary sheer agenda is to create and disrupt harmony between the communities as well as bring disgrace to the highest leader of the world Narendra Modi. Now, after the movie getting banned in India, there are a few people involved in Anti-national and anti-social activities, including some people in JNU who are supporting these kinds of acts which are against the law”, Jindal said.
“Although the JNU administration has instructed through an advisory to stop the screening, they are planning to do it today evening. In a bid to stop the screening, I have filed a complaint at the Vasant Kunj police station and requested them to initiate legal action against the people and organizers involved. The movie should be banned and the concerned person should be taken into custody”, he added.
Earlier, Student Islamic Organisation (SIO) & Muslim Student Federation known as the Fraternity group at Hyderabad Central University (HCU) had organized a screening of the BBC documentary inside the campus on Monday. More than 50 students from these groups attended the screening.
Also, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, has announced that they will screen the controversial documentary on Tuesday evening in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram despite stiff opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Last week, India denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, described as a ‘propaganda piece’ designed to push a discredited narrative. “We think this is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias, lack of objectivity, and frankly continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during a weekly media briefing.
The MEA spokesperson added that the documentary is a reflection of individuals that are peddling this narrative again.
