KOCHI: Various locations in the city witnessed a rare camaraderie between the often warring organisations on Tuesday when students from different political standing came together to organise the screening of the controversial BBC documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ examining the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the riots in Gujarat in 2002.
The otherwise rivals KSU and SFI held screenings in Ernakulam Government Law College and Maharaja’s College. The Congress organised a screening at Menaka junction in the city.
A minor scuffle was reported when BJP workers took out a protest march to the Law College demanding to end the screening of the documentary. Last week the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) directed YouTube and Twitter to take down links sharing the documentary and also barred sharing of any clips via social media in the country.
According to Navas PP, chairman, of Ernakulam Government Law College Students’ Union, the screening received a great response from the student community in the college. “The screening was held inside a classroom and students came in to watch it. Even those affiliated with KSU participated,” he said. Though BJP workers had taken out a march to the college against the screening of the documentary series, they were held back by the police using barricades.
“No untoward incidents happened since the police took action preventing the entry of the BJP workers inside the campus,” said Navas. According to him, the college authorities had issued a notice to the students’ union informing them that the institution doesn’t permit screening on campus. “The authorities said if we screen the documentary, it will be solely at our risk,” said Navas. At Maharaja’s College, the screening was organised by KSU and SFI separately. The first screening was done by KSU.
According to Athul P P of KSU, the decision to hold a separate screening was due to the directive from the higher-ups. “We decided to screen the documentary since we wanted the students to know the dictatorial rule of the Modi government. Students need to understand the working of the BJP government in the centre that thrives on divisive politics,” he said. SFI screened the documentary at 6 pm on the college campus.
T J Vinodh MLA inaugurated the screening held at Menaka junction. “BJP is fearing even talks on Gujarat riots. Hence they are trying to prevent the screening of the documentary,” said Mohammed Shiyas, DCC president.