BBC docu on 2002 riots screened at Jadavpur University; Presidency show likely on Friday

KOLKATA: More than 100 students at Jadavpur University have reportedly watched the controversial BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots, with a Left student's body having arranged its screening. The Centre has recently issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary 'India: The Modi Question', which claims to have investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 riots when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state.

The Student Federation of India (SFI), a Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s arm, said the police or institute authorities did not interfere with the screening at Jadavpur University on Thursday. SFI state unit assistant secretary Subhajit Sarkar said that the student's body will hold another screening at Presidency University on Friday. Authorities at Presidency are yet to give a formal nod, but "we will still go ahead with the show", he said.

Also Read | BBC documentary: Delhi Police detains 24 students from DU Arts Faculty for planning to screen film

Sarkar, a former Presidency student, also claimed, "The varsity has effected a power cut at the badminton court, where the screening was supposed to be held. We will now use the common room for the show." An official at the university, however, said the power cut happened due to technical reasons. He stated that no such documentary was being shown on the university premises.

Also Read | Student groups screen BBC documentary on PM Modi, 'The Kashmir Files' film at University of Hyderabad

Meanwhile, All India Students’ Association (AISA), another Left body, said it will hold another screening of the documentary at Jadavpur University on Friday. The Centre also ordered YouTube to take down copies of the document.