Kerala police books BJP workers who protested against screening of BBC documentary

While a section of the Left is adamant on screening the BBC documentary on PM Modi, the ABVP has been relentless in its protest against the same

New Delhi, Jan 25: The Kerala Police has registered a case against members of the BJP for unlawful assembly and traffic disruption in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Bharatiya Janata Party workers were protesting on the streets of Poojapura and Manaveeyam Veedhi where the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Youth Congress screened the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

There have been widespread protests in different parts of the country after the Left liberals have been screening the documentary.

On Monday, January 23, a group of students at the University of Hyderabad Central University organised the screening of the documentary inside the varsity campus. The screening was organised by the Student Islamic Organisation and Muslim Student Federation, known as the Fraternity Group. Around 50 to 60 students watched the documentary.

The Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad said that it had escalated the matter to the University authorities and demanded action against the organisers. The group has organised the screening inside the campus premises without permission, the ABVP said.

The Hyderabad police said that they have received information about the screening of the documentary, but no written complaint has been given.

On Tuesday, students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi screened the documentary despite the authorities warned against the same. The JNU Students Union wrote back to the administration that they do not seek to create any form of disharmony and their purpose was to watch the documentary on the campus. Moreover the students with voluntary interest will be taking part, the union also said.

Later on the JNU students marched to the Vasant Kunj police station claiming stone pelting by members of the ABVP while the documentary was being played.

The police assured the students of action, following which the protests were called off.

India has denounced the documentary Ministry of External Affairs, spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said, 'we think this is a propaganda piece to push a particular discredit narrative. The bias, lack of objectivity and frankly continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible.'

The BBC documentary has also been slammed y over 300 eminent Indians including retired bureaucrats, judges and armed forces veterans. In a signed letter, they accused the BBC of unrelenting prejudice.