Kerala Congress screens BBC series on PM Modi amid ban

Various universities across India, including Hyderabad University, JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, Punjab University, etc organised screening of the BBC documentary.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 26: The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) screened BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Shanghumugham beach in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.

The two-part BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" claims it investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots when Modi was the chief minister of the state.

The documentary shows series of controversial policies - the removal of Kashmir's special status guaranteed under Article 370 of the Indian constitution and a citizenship law that many said treated Muslims unfairly - has been accompanied by reports of violent attacks on Muslims by Hindus.

However, India's Ministry of External Affairs has dubbed the documentary as a "propaganda piece" that lacks objectivity and reflects a colonial mindset.

Soon after the release, the Centre had last week directed blocking of multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the documentary.

The central government's move has received sharp criticism from opposition parties like the Congress and the TMC for imposing "censorship".

This comes days after senior Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony's son Anil has extended his support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over BBC's controversial series, saying it "undermines our sovereignty."

He took Twitter to give his disapproval over the series at a time when Kerala Congress is prepping up to screen the BBC series in the state.

"Despite large differences with BJP, I think those (in India) placing views of BBC, a state sponsored channel with a long history of (alleged India) prejudices, and of Jack Straw, the brain behind the Iraq war, over (Indian) institutions is setting a dangerous precedence, will undermine our sovereignty," Anil tweeted.

Various political groups in Kerala have announced they would screen the controversial documentary "India: The Modi Question" in the state.

Meanwhile, various universities across India, including Hyderabad University, JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, Punjab University, etc organised screening of the BBC documentary.