The Students Federation of India (SFI) on Thursday claimed that 13 students, detained for organising a screening of a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots at the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on Wednesday, have not been released by police yet. There was no immediate response from the Delhi Police to the claim made by the Left-backed student’s body on Thursday.
The Government had recently directed social media platforms to block links to the documentary titled “India: The Modi Question”. The external affairs ministry has trashed the documentary as a “propaganda piece” that lacks objectivity and reflects a colonial mindset.
Meanwhile, JMI on Thursday afternoon played down reports of ruckus on its campus over attempts to screen the controversial BBC documentary on prime minister Narendra Modi. University vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar said that, “nothing happened inside our university... attempt was made but it was completely foiled.” “Whatever happened... on the streets... small incident blown out of proportion. Precautionary measures were good.”
However, Jamia administration said no screening would be allowed without permission .”University reiterates no meeting of students or screening of any film will be allowed in the campus without permission,” a notification read.
Scores of students were detained on Wednesday as they gathered outside the university gate to protest against the detention of four Students Federation of India (SFI) members hours before the proposed screening of the documentary.
While police released a majority of the detained students on Wednesday evening, 13 are still in detention, the SFI claimed.
The screening of “India: The Modi Question” was announced by the SFI on Wednesday. The student’s outfit had said the documentary would be screened at the MCRC lawn gate number 8 at 6 pm on Wednesday.
Of the 13, four — SFI Jamia Unit secretary Azeez, SFI South Delhi Area vice president Nivedya, and SFI units members Abhiram and Tejas — were detained on Wednesday morning, it alleged, adding that they are all students of the Jamia Millia Islamia.
“Four students were detained on Wednesday morning. Its been over 24 hours since they have been detained. The rest were detained later in the evening,” SFI Delhi committee secretary Pritish Menon.