BBC documentary screening: Students gathered at DU's north campus detained, TISS announces screening

Scores of students who had on Friday gathered at Delhi University's north campus for the screening of a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots were detained by police, student group activists alleged.

The action come days after a similar ruckus at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia over the screening of the documentary.

There was heavy police deployment at the varsity's north campus after students' outfits gave a call to screen the documentary.

Earlier in the day, Delhi University Proctor Rajni Abbi said they would not allow the screening and stressed that the students' outfits had not sought the administration's permission.

The Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of has announced a screening of the documentary at 4 pm on north campus while the Bhim Army Students' Federation said it would hold a screening outside the varsity's Arts Faculty at 5 pm.

Delhi Police personnel entered the Ambedkar University campus to stop Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists from screening the controversial documentary, several students alleged, even as the outfit made alternative arrangements to watch it on phones and laptops.

Police officials, however, said they were visiting all college and university campuses in the district to ensure peace and tranquility in the area.

The Left-affiliated SFI alleged that the screening could not be held as the administration of the government-run varsity disconnected power supply but a QR code with a link to the film was shared with students so that they could watch it on their personal devices.

Jamia Millia Islamia became the centre of a kerfuffle on Wednesday after the SFI's plans to organise a screening of the documentary were thwarted by the varsity and the police.

Jawaharlal Nehru University also witnessed a ruckus and protests over the screening on Tuesday.

Taking a cue from other youth outfits across the country, a students’ collective from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) plans to screen the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

The Progressive Students’ Forum (PSF) at TISS Mumbai said the screening was a symbolic protest against the government’s move to block access to the controversial documentary, and in solidarity with student organisations at other college campuses.