#WhatTheFAQ: What happened at #JNUCampus during screening of BBC's controversial documentary? 

India: The Modi Question is a documentary by BBC about the riots in Gujarat in 2002 and it was banned by the Indian government as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called it a "propaganda piece"
Pic: EdexLive
Pic: EdexLive

At the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, students alleged that they were attacked with stones while watching the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The varsity administration, in a stern warning, told the students that disciplinary action may be initiated as per the university rules if anyone screens the documentary.


In today's What The FAQ, we find out why the documentary is creating such a ruckus in the country. 


What is the documentary that has been trending on social media and why was it banned?
India: The Modi Question is a two-part BBC television documentary about the riots in Gujarat in 2002. When Narendra Modi, the current Indian Prime Minister, was Gujarat's Chief Minister, riots broke out. Modi's early political career in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his selection as Chief Minister are both topics covered in the documentary. 

The documentary talks about documents obtained by the BBC that demonstrate Modi's actions at the time. The Indian government forbade the documentary from airing and ordered social media platforms to remove user-shared clips from the film. The documentary India: The Modi Question examines the role that then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi played in the 2002 Gujarat riots, which claimed thousands of lives and left millions homeless. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called it a "propaganda piece".


Was the documentary screened on the JNU campus?
A fresh row erupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as a poster was purportedly released by its students' union announcing the screening of the documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its office on Tuesday, January 24, prompting university authorities to issue a warning to cancel the event or face "strict disciplinary action". The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration, in an advisory on Monday, January 23, said the union has not taken its permission for the event and it should be cancelled as it could "disturb peace and harmony".


What happened during the screening of the documentary at JNU?
In order to prevent the JNU Students' Union from hosting the planned screening of the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, January 24, students claim that the university administration cut off power and internet connections to the union's office. Students said that while they were watching the documentary on their phones, stones were thrown at them. The students had gathered outside the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) office for the screening of the documentary. A senior police officer, however, claimed that no such incident had been reported to the authorities.

The JNU administration did not immediately respond officially to the students' accusations and claims, either.


Is JNU the only university that screened or tried to screen the documentary?
On Monday, January 23, a student organisation at Hyderabad Central University (HCU) organised a screening of the documentary on the university's campus.

At the Hyderabad Central University, the Student Islamic Organization (SIO) and Muslim Student Federation, also known as the Fraternity group, organised a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The screening was attended by more than 50 students from these groups.


The pro-Left Students' Federation of India (SFI) and other political organisations screened the BBC documentary on Tuesday, January 24, in several institutions across Kerala, while the BJP youth wing erupted in protest. In order to disperse Yuva Morcha (youth wing of the BJP) protestors in the state capital of Kerala, where tensions were particularly high, police had to use water cannons and tear gas. 

Even at Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram, where the documentary was screened, Yuva Morcha supporters gathered. On Tuesday night, additional screenings were held in a few colleges in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram.


How are people responding on social media?
The hashtags #JNUCampus,  #BBCDocumentary, #PMModi, #themodiquestion, #GujaratRiots2002 and so on are trending on Twitter, especially after the ban of the documentary by the government. 

 

Anil Cherukara (@Anilcherukara), Environment activist: My fellow Indians, this is where your GST & other taxes are mostly spent by Modi who orchestrated #GujaratRiots2002 & pushed a genocide of minorities for his own propaganda and image building Please think 10 times before voting BJP next time who have brought only shame to India
Arman Shaikh (@AShaikhINC), @IYC member: No matter how much the BJP govt may try to cover up the truth, The world says Modi for what he truly is!#NarendraModi #BBC #BBCDocumentary #GujaratRiots #GujaratRiots2002 #ModiDocumentaryRow #ModiDisasterForIndia
Anil Cherukara (@Anilcherukara), farmer: Godhra incident was well planned and orchestrated When you see the beneficiaries of #GujaratRiots2002 one can conclude who were the collaborators of minorities genocide
gurpreet singh (@gurpreetonair): Thank you  @BBCNews for telling the truth. Please don’t buckle down under pressure from the troll army of @narendramodi. Eagerly waiting for episode 2. #NeverForgetNeverForgive #GujaratRiots2002

Ashish Nautiyal (@ashu_nauty), Founder @Pamphlet_in: What’s common between #Pakistan and #JNUCampus?Both are facing power outage right now.
Mayukh Biswas (@MayukhDuke), General Secretary, Students' Federation Of India : "INDIA THE MODI QUESTION "
Documentary is Screened on  different campuses across Kerala .
When they ask us NOT to watch, Watching itself is resistance. We will watch, will make hundreds watch. Let the people remember Gujarat 2002.
#BBCDocumentary #IndiaTheModiQuestion

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)

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