Last Update: January 28, 2023, 11:18 AM IST
DU claimed ‘outsiders’ were trying to screen the documentary and police were called in to maintain law and order (Representational Image)
Twenty-four students belonging to the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) were detained from Delhi University’s Arts Faculty and heavy police force was deployed in the North Campus.
Ruckus broke out at Delhi University and Ambedkar University here on Friday when students attempted to screen a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots, even as the police and university administration intervened to stop the move.
24 students affiliated to the National Students Union of India (NSUI) was detained from Delhi University’s Arts Faculty and heavy police force was deployed in the North Campus.
The university claimed that ‘outsiders’ were trying to screen the documentary and the police were called in to maintain law and order. Police were seen dragging away students as they gathered outside the Faculty of Arts building to protest against not being allowed the screening of the documentary. University security personnel were also seen clashing with the students inside the arts faculty. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said that 24 students from DU’s Arts Faculty were detained and the situation has returned to normal.
“Around 4 pm, around 20 people came outside the Faculty of Arts gate for the screening of the banned BBC documentary. Since this could disturb peace in the area, they were asked to leave.
“When they didn’t, they were detained peacefully. A total of 24 people have been detained.” The documentary screening in the two universities was called for by various student groups. In Delhi University, the call was made by the student wing of the Congress, NSUI. While in Ambedkar University, the Left-affiliated Students Federation (SFI) organized the proposed screening.
Notably, SFI was also involved in organizing screenings at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). The SFI alleged that the screening could not be held at Ambedkar University as the Delhi government-run university cut off power supply, but a QR code with a link to the short film was shared with students so that they could watch it on their personal devices. Can see
Students protesting at Ambedkar University accused the university of calling security personnel. Police officials, however, said that they are visiting all the college and university campuses in the district to ensure peace in the area.
The action comes days after similar uproar at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia over the screening of the documentary. Jamia Millia Islamia became the center of an uproar on Wednesday after the university and the police foiled a plan to organize the screening of an SFI documentary.
Uproar and protests were also witnessed in JNU on Tuesday regarding the screening.
The Center had last week directed social media platforms Twitter and YouTube to block links to the documentary ‘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.
The two-part documentary claimed that it examined certain aspects related to the 2002 Gujarat riots when the Prime Minister was Narendra Modi He was the Chief Minister of the state.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)