New Delhi: Hundreds of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students took out a march towards the Vasant Kunj police station late on Tuesday, claiming that ABVP activists pelted stones during the screening of a banned BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. JNU Students’ Union president (JNUSU) Aishe Ghosh told the police that Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists pelted stones during the screening of the documentary and accused the JNU administration of not taking any action against them. “The ABVP pelted stones, but the administration has not taken any step yet. We have almost completed the screening of the film. Our priority is to restore electricity,” Ghosh told news agency ANI.
“We have also filed a complaint, and the police have assured us that they will look into the incident immediately. We have given the names and details of all the persons involved. As of now, we are withdrawing the protest. We will also File a complaint with the JNU proctor’s office,” the JNUSU president further said.
Delhi | We lodged a complaint and the police assured us that they would immediately investigate the incident. We have given the names and details of all the persons involved. For the time being, we are withdrawing the protest. We will also file a complaint with the JNU Proctor’s office: JNUSU President pic.twitter.com/RGprcOoMvW– ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2023
However, the ABVP – the student body affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – hit back saying that they did not pelt stones at JNUSU students during the screening of the controversial documentary. ABVP’s JNU student Gaurav Kumar told ANI, “Do these people making allegations have any proof that we pelted stones? We didn’t pelt stones at all.”
Controversy over BBC documentary on PM Modi
A group of students gathered at the JNU Students’ Union office on Tuesday for the screening of BBC’s controversial documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the university administration cut off electricity and internet to stall the program and protested after stone pelting. threw at them. He also claimed that he was attacked when he was watching the documentary on his mobile phone as the screening could not take place. Some alleged that the attackers were members of the ABVP.
Later in the night, chanting “Inquilab Zindabad” against the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration, the protesting students marched to the Vasant Kunj police station and lodged a complaint against the “stone-pelters”.
Delhi | JNU students protest outside a police station in Vasant Kunj after they claimed to have been pelted with stones during the screening of a banned BBC documentary on PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/tYveQpj1yM– ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2023
power cut in jnu
On allegations of power cuts on campus, an official of the JNU administration, requesting anonymity, told PTI, “There is a major (power) line fault in the university. We are looking into it. The engineering department is saying that It will be sorted out.” At the earliest.” However, there was no immediate official response from the JNU administration on the students’ allegations and claims. It had said in a consultation on Monday that the union had not taken its permission for the event and it was to be canceled Should, warned of strict disciplinary action.
JNUSU) had earlier in the day issued a statement in which it had said that there was no intention to create any disharmony through the screening of the documentary or film. It has also sought clarification from the administration regarding rules that mandate that prior permission is required for screening any film or documentary on the university campus.
The ABVP denied the allegation saying they were not present at the spot. ABVP Delhi’s media convenor Ambuj told PTI, “We did not go to the spot and nobody from our (students’ organisation) was there.”
JNU advisory on BBC Modi documentary screening
The JNU administration, in a consultation on Monday, had said that the association had not taken its permission for the event and it should be canceled as it could lead to “disturbance of peace and harmony”. In an advisory on Monday, the university said, “It has come to the notice of the administration that a group of students in the name of JNUSU has issued a pamphlet for the screening of a documentary or film (titled) ‘India: The Modi Question’.” . “Scheduled on January 24, 2023 at 9:00 PM on Teflas.”
Center bans screening of BBC Modi documentary
A two-part BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question” claimed to have explored some aspects of the 2002 Gujarat riots when Modi was the state’s chief minister. The documentary has not been screened in India.
The government on Friday directed social media platforms Twitter and YouTube to block links to the documentary titled “India: The Modi Question”. The Ministry of External Affairs has dismissed the documentary as a “propaganda piece” that lacks objectivity and reflects a colonial mindset. However, opposition parties have criticized the government’s move to block access to the documentary.