24 students from the Arts Faculty at Delhi University were held by the Delhi Police on Friday for their plans to play the divisive BBC documentary about the 2002 Godhra riots. Days prior, similar demonstrations against the documentary’s screening at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia took place.
Rajni Abbi, a proctor at Delhi University, responded to the detention of students over the BBC documentary’s screening at DU by saying, “The Police will follow whatever course is necessary. Never once had our consent been requested or granted.”
Sagar Singh Kalsi, the deputy commissioner of police for the north, stated in a statement: “Around 4 o’clock, some 20 individuals gathered outside the gate to the Arts Faculty to see the barred BBC documentary. They were told to leave because it would disturb the peace and quiet in the neighbourhood. When they didn’t, they were held without violence. 24 persons in total were held in custody.”
When questioned, a different official stated that the campus was subject to Section 144 in December. The official stated, “Section 144 was implemented in December and will remain in effect until February 28 to prevent any law and order issues at the university.
However, according to police authorities, they are visiting all of the district’s colleges and universities to maintain the peace and quiet.
The Delhi Police had also received a letter from the varsity administration earlier in the day on the intended screening. Rajni Abbi, the proctor at Delhi University, stated that they would not permit the screening and emphasised that the student organisations had not requested permission from the administration.
The government-run varsity’s administration, according to the Left-affiliated SFI, cut off the power supply, making it impossible to hold the screening. However, in order for pupils to view the movie on their own devices, a QR code with a link to it was distributed to them.
