JNU cancels screening of BBC documentary on PM Modi: ‘May disturb peace, harmony’

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Monday asked students to cancel the screening of the controversial BBC Documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’.

The move comes after the Centre had issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary.

The administration said it might “disturb peace and harmony of the university campus”. The administration also said no prior permission for this event was taken from it.

“It has come to the notice of the administration that a group of students have in the name of JNUSU released a pamphlet for screening a documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ scheduled for 24th January 2023 at 9:00 pm in Teflas. No prior permission for this event has been taken from the JNU Administration. This is to emphasize that such an unauthorised activity may disturb peace and harmony of the University Campus,” the advisory read.

“The concerned students or individuals are firmly advised to cancel the proposed programme immediately, failing which strict disciplinary action may be initiated as per the University rules,” it read.

The Centre described the documentary, which shows the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots and questions Narendra Modi’s – then the chief minister of the state, handling of the riots, as a “propaganda piece”.

Union law minister Kiren Rijiju has slammed the controversial documentary saying India’s image cannot be disgraced with “malicious campaigns”.

Lashing out at the Centre, Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Derek O’Brien shared the link to the documentary and vowed to fight against “censorship”.