Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu): The controversy over the BBC documentary on Modi continues as the Vice Chancellor of the Nellai Manonmaniam Sundaranar University N. Chandrasekar here ordered disciplinary action against some students at the varsity after the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) wrote a complaint to the VC regarding the screening of the movie in the varsity premises. The banned documentary was screened in a classroom on the 25th and 30th last month.
The documentary titled 'India: the Modi question' has been mired in controversy since its release in January this year. The documentary focuses on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role and leadership during the infamous 2002 riots in Gujarat. 59 people had died after a train in Gujarat was set on fire by some miscreants. The aftermath of the incident turned ugly, leading to a religious rift between the Hindu and Muslim population of India. More than a thousand people died during the violent riots that broke out.
Modi, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time, was later accused of taking inadequate action against the perpetrators, thereby allowing the situation to go haywire. He had also infamously avoided the media on questions regarding the incident. There were also some alleged statements by the police officials and politicians who claimed that Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, had given direct orders to let the riots go rampant. The police were allegedly categorically asked to do nothing as the 'Hindu masses react to the incident'.
Also read: SC's precious time being wasted: Law Minister Rijiju on plea against BBC documentary ban
Against the backdrop of this, BBC recently released a documentary recording the statements from the kin of the victims of the riots and the killings. It also stated that the British and other international officials had found Modi to be directly responsible for what highly resembled an 'ethnic cleansing'. Soon after the release of this documentary, the central government banned the documentary from airing in India, citing it as a part of a malafide propaganda.
Students from universities across India have registered their dissent on the ban, which also led to serious protests at some universities including the Jamia Milia Islamia in New Delhi.
