Defying Centre's diktat, BBC documentary on PM Modi screened across Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The youth and student organisations of the CPM and Congress on Tuesday organised public screening of the controversial BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots -- India: The Modi question -- in several parts of the state, inviting protests from the BJP and its youth wing. The screenings were held under heavy police cover.
The Union government had blocked online links to the documentary on the riots, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, by invoking emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021.
The DYFI organised the first public screening at Saroj Bhavan in Kozhikode around 1pm. In Kannur University, SFI activists organised it in the portico of its main academic block after the campus director turned down their request to hold it in the seminar hall.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Yuva Morcha activists took out protest marches to Poojappura Maidan and Manaveeyam Veedhi, where the DYFI and Youth Congress held the screening. In Ernakulam, the screenings were held at major junctions and campuses. tnn
BBC documentary screened amid BJP protests
Politics over the controversial BBC documentary on PM Narendra Modi heated up in the state on Tuesday with the youth and student organizations of CPM and Congress organizing its public screening at various places, including on college campuses, across the state and BJP and its youth wing crying foul over it. The Central government had directed social media platforms to block the links to the documentary titled "India: The Modi Question" by terming it a "propaganda piece" to show PM Modi in a bad light.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Youth Congress organized a screening at Manaveeyam Veedhi, while DYFI showed the documentary at Poojappura Maidan. The screenings were held under police cover as Yuva Morcha workers took out protest marches to the venues, leading to severe traffic snarls. CPM state secretary V Govindan came out supporting the documentary screening and called for public resistance against the protests. "Banning the documentary is an undemocratic stand. Ideas should not be banned in a democratic society," he said.
Former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also said the ban was unacceptable. "The documentary should be screened daring all sorts of protests, "he said. BJP state committee member CG Rajagopal said the screenings were attempts by 'anti-national parties' to tarnish the image of PM Modi and India.
The documentary was screened in many places, including on various college campuses, for the public in Ernakulam. SFI screened the documentary at Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kalady Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Ernakulam Maharaja's College, and Government Law College, among other institutions. The registrar of Sanskrit university had issued a notice to students' unions denying permission citing a direction regarding the same by Perumbavoor sub-divisional police officer, but students ignored the notice and proceeded with the screening.
Though BJP and its feeder organizations held minor protests, the screenings were held without any major issues. The screenings were shifted indoors due to the rains, but most shows reported a good audience. The documentary was shown in Maharaja's College by KSU as well. KSU state president Aloshious Xavier said more public screenings will be held in the city in the coming days.
Though BJP took out a protest march to Law College, the police blocked them near St Teresa's College. Similarly, BJP workers who tried to enter the premises of Sanskrit university were blocked at the gates. DYFI, led by its district leadership, organized screenings on mobile LED walls at Kaloor, HC and Menaka Junctions. DCC Ernakulam, also screened the documentary at Menaka Junction.
In Kannur, the documentary was shown by SFI at the portico of the main academic block of Kannur University's Mangattuparamba campus after the campus director turned down its request to hold a screening inside the seminar hall. But the varsity later issued a statement refuting reports that it had denied permission to screen the documentary and said students had screened it on campus. Over 100 students attended the event.
BJP district president had approached the police to stop the screening claiming it will spark communal strife. After screening the documentary under police protection at Saroj Bhavan in Kozhikode, DYFI state president V Vaseef said it would hold screenings at 2,000 locations in state. Youth Congress screened the documentary at public places in Kannur, Kuttichira in Kozhikode, and Malappuram. Muslim Youth League has also announced a screening. BJP took out a march to the office of the police commissioner to protest against the failure of the police to block the screenings. Tension prevailed at Kalpetta when BJP and Yuva Morcha activists staged a protest at a screening venue.
(With inputs from Kochi & Kozhikode)