Defying Centre’s ban, Oppn-ruled states screen BBC docu on Modi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala capital remained tense on Tuesday after the feeder organisations of the CPM and the Congress held screenings of the BBC documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ even as the police scrambled to contain protests by the BJP workers.

Tension also gripped campuses of JNU and University of Hyderabad (UoH) over the issue.

While the documentary was shown by the Students Federation of India (SFI) in a classroom of the Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram without any hiccups on Tuesday morning, the first public screening organised by the Youth Congress later sparked tensions, with Yuva Morcha activists holding a protest in the area. The police forcefully removed the protesters to prevent a clash.

The situation worsened when a larger group of BJP workers demonstrated against another screening organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) at Poojappura in the city.

While the police had barricaded the road leading to the screening venue, the agitators attempted to topple the barricades.

Police had to use water cannon nearly 10 times to disperse the agitators who hurled sticks and stones at the police.

In Hyderabad, a section of students at the UoH screened the documentary, prompting the University authorities to seek a report.

The documentary was screened on Sunday by a group of students under the banner ‘Fraternity Movement- HCU unit’ on the campus of the UoH.

Meanwhile, the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Tuesday cut off electricity supply to stop the screening of the documentary on the campus, the university students alleged.

The documentary link was then circulated among students to facilitate them watch the documentary on mobile phones outside the JNUSU office.

After JNU Students Union announced the screening, the university administration had threatened disciplinary action stating it might disturb peace and harmony on the campus.