At least five students were reportedly injured in a clash between ABVP and SFI activists over the screening of a controversial BBC documentary on the Pondicherry University campus on Wednesday, 25 January.
The alleged incident occurred while screening the first episode of the documentary, India: The Modi Question, which the Union government has been trying to suppress.
The two-part documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and Prime Minister Modi. The foreign ministry had termed the documentary baseless and propaganda.
SFI activists claimed that ABVP members from the campus rushed into the screening venue and launched an attack. Five students were injured, the students’ arm of the CPI(M) said.
“The screening was scheduled for 6 pm at all hostels after the SFI Central Executive Committee called for a nationwide exhibition of the documentary. Just before the screening, the administration disconnected the power and Wi-Fi,” an SFI member told South First, requesting anonymity.
The SFI members sought anonymity fearing reprisal from the university administration.
The member further said that the venue was changed to the university’s ‘Gender Gate’, where more than 300 students had gathered. The students watched the documentary on laptops and mobile phones.
“The screening was progressing peacefully when around 15-20 ABVP members arrived at the venue. Initially, they tried to provoke us by sloganeering. They even raised chants of the presiding deity of Sabarimala to disrupt the screening,” he said.
During the screening of BBC Documentary at Pondicherry University, ABVP members allegedly attacked the students who were present during the screening. SFI also alleged that University officials cut the power and wifi just before the screening.@TheSouthfirst pic.twitter.com/Yk2IzTf9Lg
— Sumit Jha (@sumitjha__) January 26, 2023
The student activist added that the ABVP workers then started manhandling those who were watching the documentary.
‘We had reported the incident to the police, but we are not expecting any action,” he said.
South First tried to reach the university officials through email. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
Meanwhile, the Fraternity Movement and the NSUI also screened the documentary at different locations in the university.
“We were threatened, citing law and order, and were even asked to submit an application for screening to the police,” a Fraternity member told South First.
“The university administration even threatened to spoil our career. However, we screened the documentary at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. During our screening, there was no untoward incident, but at SFI’s screening venue, ABVP activists attacked them,” he added.
He expressed hope that the police would initiate action against those who resorted to violence. “We believe in the country’s democratic values and judicial system,” he said.
The activist further said that the authorities were yet to restore Wi-Fi. “Mobile connectivity, too, is poor,” he added.
Meanwhile, the documentary was screened on several campuses in Kerala.
Incidentally, SFI’s Hyderabad Central University unit released a poster on Wednesday, 25 January, announcing the screening of both episodes of the documentary on the campus on Thursday, coinciding with Republic Day.
The ABVP responded with another poster, saying it would screen The Kashmir Files, a controversial film, at the same location and time on Thursday.
