Delhi University’s Arts Faculty campus saw police action as students sought to screen a BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi even as the government has imposed restrictions.
24 students were detained and the situation is now “back to normal”.
Police were called to the Delhi University campus to maintain law and order after “outsiders” tried to screen a controversial BBC documentary at the Arts Faculty on Friday, Registrar Vikas Gupta said after several students were detained.
This comes days after a similar ruckus at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia over the screening of the documentary on the 2002 Gujarat Riots.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said 24 students were detained from the DU’s Arts Faculty and the situation is now back to normal.
Police were seen dragging students away as they had gathered outside the Arts Faculty building to protest against not being allowed to screen the documentary.
University officials said no permission was sought for a public screening and there were also orders issued by the district administration against any mass gathering. DU Chief Proctor Rajni Abbi, who called the cops, saw justification in the police action. “Yes, students have been detained. Have they taken permission? When police have imposed Section 144, why have they collected?” she said. She alleged that the students were “not even interested” in showing the documentary. “They just want disruptive things.”
The two-part series, which references the 2002 Gujarat riots and recent incidents of communal violence, has been termed by the central government as false and motivated propaganda. The government has used emergency powers to force social media outlets such as YouTube and Twitter to take it down.
Ahead of screening that was planned for 5.30 pm, large number of students — led by those belonging to Left parties and other Opposition parties — gathered at DU Arts Faculty area and protested imposition of Section 144 in the area to stop the screening.