JNU students' union told to back off from screening controversial BBC documentary on Modi

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi has told its students' union to refrain from the proposed screening of the controversial BBC documentary 'India: The Modi Question'.

In an advisory issued on Monday, the JNU Registrar says the screening 'may disturb peace and harmony of the University Campus'.

The screening has been scheduled for 9 pm start on Tuesday inside the office of the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU).

The first episode of the two-part documentary was on the Gujarat riots in 2002 when Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state.

The BBC has announced that it will broadcast the second and final part of the documentary 'India: The Modi Question' on Tuesday. Photo: Screengrab from bbc.co.uk

JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh tweeted: "Join us for the Documentary Screening which has been "banned" by a (sic) "elected Government" of the largest "democracy"."

The Union government had on Friday directed social media platforms Twitter and YouTube to block links to the documentary. Opposition leaders, especially those belonging to the Congress and the TMC had labelled the move 'censorship'.

The Ministry of External Affairs dubbed the documentary a "propaganda piece" that lacks objectivity and reflects a colonial mindset.

In the advisory, the registrar says 'no prior permission has been taken from the JNU administration'.

According to the advisory, it has noticed pamphlets being distributed inside the campus regarding the screening.

"The concerned students/individuals are firmly advised to cancel the proposed programme immediately failing which a strict disciplinary action may be initiated as per the University rules," the advisory states.

The first episode that was not aired in India had been broadcast in the UK last Tuesday. The final episode is set to be released in the UK on Tuesday.

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