Tensions at Jamia Varsity: Student Wing Says BBC Sows Hatred Between Youths

Students were detained at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University on Wednesday over plans to screen a controversial BBC documentary about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Those detained at the mass communication department include members of the left-wing student body.

Police have beefed up security around the university and riot police were deployed at the gate of the college as a preventive measure.

On Tuesday, university authorities banned unauthorized gatherings after the Students Federation of India (SFI) announced the screening of the controversial documentary on a social media page.

It came even as the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting last week blocked the access of the documentary in the country, asking Twitter and YouTube to bar sharing of any clips or link of the documentary.

The move follows a similar student screening at the city's premier Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Tuesday evening. During the screening, JNU authorities disconnected the power and snapped the internet. The students later gathered at the cafeteria inside the campus and watched the documentary on their cellphones and laptops.

A group of students at Hyderabad University also screened the documentary earlier on Tuesday. However, the university authorities have directed officials to submit a report on the matter.

In delhi, stones were hurled at the students who were watching the documentary. The students then marched toward the local police station and protested.

However, the protest was later called off after police officials assured them that they were taking action.

Those attacked with stones told press that the culprits belonged to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parental organization of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Is BBC Spreading Colonialism-Inspired Propaganda?

Talking to Sputnik, ABVP president in the JNU, Rohit Kumar, refuted the allegations, saying that “on several occasions, the BBC has spread similar propaganda because it is an organization with colonial mindset that is not able to digest the development of India.”

“The left-wing in the country is supporting the BBC in spreading hatred against the top leadership of the country. One should understand the intention of the students who organized the screening of the controversial documentary despite a ban by the government and advisory by the university authorities. They are only trying to spread hatred among the youth and people of the country,” Kumar alleged.

Sputnik Opinion

Attempt to Pressure India? Experts Weigh In on Controversial BBC Documentary

24 January 2023, 18:33

On allegations leveled by the left-wing students about throwing stones, Kumar said that all the allegations are false.

“ABVP had already instructed its members not to be around the place where the screening was scheduled to be held. It were the members of left-wing and SFI who threw stones. They even mishandled two ABVP members who were returning to the campus after dinner,” the JNU ABVP president commented.

He also said that a complaint has been made to police and university authorities.

“We have also demanded for the security of ABVP members and asked them to throw out the fringe elements from JNU. Those who want to do healthy students politics should be allowed while those who want to spread hatred should ousted from the prestigious university,” Kumar stated.