The last educational institution to be deformed in the controversial documentary India: The Modi Question, by British Broadcasting Company (BBC), is the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
TISS authorities issued a second warning to campus students against showing the BBC documentary which has been banned in India. Several higher educational institutions in the national capital Delhi have faced anger from the authorities, the student wing of religious-political groups and students regarding the screening of the documentary.
This includes Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU) and Jamilia Milia Islamia University. Later in West Bengal, the Jadavpur University held a rather peaceful screening of the documentary.
TISS officials said: “It is with the utmost gravity that we note that some students, through a group, are involved in activities in contravention of the notice issued on January 27 regarding the screening of a government-banned BBC documentary that tries to mobilize and provoke students. do the same” in his second warning.
“We warn students to understand that any such act by any student or group that violates the instructions issued on January 27, 2023 and engages in any activity that leads to the disturbance of peace and harmony will be held responsible for the same and will be duly treated under pertinent institutional regulations on the matter,” the notice added.
In the earlier notice issued, the institute said that they had not allowed such screenings or gatherings that could disrupt the academic environment and endanger the peace and harmony of the campus.
“We have learned that some student groups plan to screen the BBC documentary that has disturbed some parts of the country. Some plan to organize meetings to protest related developments at some universities,” the TISS notice said. .
However, the leader of the TISS student union, Pratik Permey, said that the association does not plan any screening of the documentary.
“The TISS student association also received the advice of the TISS registrar and director, but the association has not planned any screening of the said documentary. We have heard that a Progressive Student Forum (PSF) has organized this screening. We are not part of that. Permey said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in power in Maharashtra, has opposed the screening. The youth wing of the saffron party, the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha, organized a protest outside the campus.
The head of the BJP unit in Mumbai, Ashish Shelar, demanded that the screening be stopped and accused TISS of trying to undermine law and order in Mumbai and Maharashtra.
The BBC documentary has created a new dispute in the country after the government earlier this month denounced it, describing it as a “propaganda piece” designed to push a discredited narrative. The government also removed the BBC documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ from various social media platforms including Twitter and Youtube.
The dispute deepened further after JNUSU members allegedly faced a “deliberate” power cut, while screening the contested BBC documentary on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University in the national capital.
The documentary leads the opposition to attack the government over free speech despite the government calling it a “propaganda piece”.
Delhi Police said the university administration did not allow the BBC documentary to be shown on campus.