NEW DELHI: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has issued an advisory warning students against participating in the screening of a banned BBC documentary featuring Narendra Modi, stating such activities could disturb “communal harmony” on campus. The advisory comes ahead of a screening of ‘India: The Modi Question‘ by the Left-backed All India Students Federation (AISF) at Ganga Dhaba Tuesday night.
The university said no permission had been granted for the screening, calling it “unauthorized and unwarranted.”
“It has come to the notice that a group of students has released a pamphlet for screening a banned documentary scheduled for tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. at Ganga Dhaba. No prior permission for this event has been taken from the IHA. This is to emphasise that such an unauthorized activity may disturb communal harmony and peaceful environment of the University Campus,” the advisory issued on Monday read.
The varsity warned students against proceeding with the event and being influenced by the invitation pamphlet.
“The concerned students/individuals are firmly advised to desist from all such activities failing which strict action will be taken as per University rules. The stakeholders are also advised not to get provoked by this pamphlet, which is unauthorised and unwarranted,” it added.
AISF has issued a pamphlet inviting students to the screening, being held in remembrance of the assault on Jamia Millia Islamia students by Delhi Police in 2019.
On December 15, 2019, Delhi Police entered the Jamia campus following protests by the students against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Several students were injured, and videos of police beating students and vandalising the library sparked outrage nationwide.
Police, however, maintained that they entered the campus while looking for “outsiders” involved in arson and violence during the anti-CAA protest outside the campus.