BBC Documentary Screened at Kolkata's Jadavpur University; 'Kashmir Files' Shown at Hyderabad University

The controversy surrounding the BBC documentary shows no signs of abating with Kolkata's prestigious Jadav University reportedly screening the documentary on the campus on Republic Day. At the same time, the University of Hyderabad (UoH), also screened the documentary for the second time on January 26 with the Students Federation of India (SFI) organising it on Thursday (January 26, 2023).

According to news reports, the screening of ‘India: The Modi Question’ was reportedly held without any interference from the police or the administration at Jadavpur University. Earlier, PTI had reported that the SFI will show the documentary at Jadavpur University on Thursday and at Presidency University the day after (January 27), the state organisation's assistant secretary Subhajit Sarkar said. All India Students' Association (AISA), another Left body, also decided to screen the documentary on the campus of Jadavpur University on January 27, said Sandip Nayak, a senior member of the organisation, as per the same agency report/

Meanwhile in Hyderabad, as the SFI screened the documentary at the University of Hyderabad (UoH), the RSS' student wing, ABVP showed the controversial film 'The Kashmir Files', on the campus. The Fraternity Movement in UoH campus, a students' group, had earlier organized the screening of the BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" on January 21, at the varsity campus without prior notice or permission, prompting the University authorities to seek a report on the incident for taking necessary action.

The screening of the documentary "India: The Modi Question", access to which was recently blocked by the Centre on social media platforms, was earlier announced by the SFI at the university campus. The screening of the documentary 'India: The Modi Question' was organised by SFI Hyderabad Central University (SFI HCU) on Republic Day following the call of SFI Central Executive Committee (SFI CEC). "More than 400 students turned up for the screening, rejecting the false propaganda and the attempts of ABVP to create unrest and the administration to disrupt the screening of the documentary. SFI-HCU salutes the student community who have stood for freedom of expression and campus democracy," a social media post by SFI HCU said, tagging the photos. UoH, is also known as Hyderabad Central University (HCU).

Countering it, the students of ABVP HCU organised the screening of 'The Kashmir Files,' on the university campus. Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the Bollywood film depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir following systematic killings of people from the community by Pakistan-backed terrorists. UoH Registrar Devesh Nigam in a statement said the Dean-Students' Welfare had counselled the student groups and issued an appeal not to do any screening of films in view of the law and order issue, maintaining peace and tranquillity in campus and forthcoming end-semester exams starting from next week. However, students decided to go ahead with their programme schedule. "We have come to know that one group held the screening in one of the hostels," he said adding the campus is peaceful.

Also read: Defying Centre's Ban, Congress Screens BBC Documentary on PM Narendra Modi in Kerala

The Union government had last week directed social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube to block links to the documentary "India: The Modi Question". The Ministry of External Affairs has trashed the documentary as a "propaganda piece" that lacks objectivity and reflects a colonial mindset. The two-part documentary claims it investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state.

(With PTI inputs)