“A lot of people did not understand the incident at all... There were multiple narratives on what happened, all without a counter narrative. That is why I wanted to do this film, which could say something in detail,” said Ammi director Sunil Kumar at a screening at here on Thursday.
The documentary is based on events surrounding the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed in October 2016.
Development of protest
The documentary, which Mr. Kumar started shooting a few days after Najeeb disappeared, chronicles the development of the protest — from inside the university to the streets of Delhi and sit-ins outside the CBI headquarters. It has testimonies of witnesses from the day Najeeb disappeared. The testimonies detail how he was allegedly beaten by those identified as members of the ABVP and taken before the warden. Najeeb’s mother Fatima Nafees and sister continue to stand steadfast in their demand to conduct a “proper investigation” and bring him back.
MP Manoj Jha said what happened with Najeeb was not just “a failure of the investigating agencies but showed a problem with the entire system”. Commending Ms. Nafees for her resilience, Mr. Jha said, “We will continue to believe that he [Najeeb] will come back.”
JNU Professor Nivedita Menon, who attacked the university administration and lauded Ms. Nafees for the strength she has shown, said the documentary brought tears to her eyes, but also made her blood boil.
Ms. Nafees, who was also present at the screening, thanked those present for their support and spoke about the protest rallies she has been attending in different parts of the country to continue her demand to bring her son back.
Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani compared the Najeeb incident with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case and Rohith Vemula’s suicide, arguing that systems of justice fail for the poor.