DU Documentary Row: University Panel To Submit Its Report Today

The 7-member panel will submit its findings report to the university administration at 05:00 PM today, in the controversial BBC Documentary screening incident at the Arts Faculty on January 27.

DU Panel To Submit Its Report On Documentary Screening Row Today

Following up on the screening of the controversial BBC documentary in the Delhi University Campus, the administrative committee set up to probe the matter will submit its report to the university administration by 05:00 PM today. 

Led by DU Proctor Rajani Abi, the 7-member committee was formed on January 28, a day after the debated BBC documentary was screened inside the campus. The committee was formed to maintain discipline and law inside the university. 

After the screening incident at the DU Arts Faculty premises, the varsity formed a 7-member committee to “enforce discipline and maintain law and order in the University” and look into the unfolding of events on January 27. 

A notification was issued by the DU registrar which stated that the Vice-Chancellor has constituted a committee chaired by proctor Rajani Abi to look into the matter.  The committee comprises six other members, including Prof Rama, principal of Hansraj College, and Prof Dinesh Khattar, principal of Kirori Mal College.

Notably, on January 27, some students tried to screen the controversial BBC Documentary on PM MODI - “India: The Modi Question,”, at the Delhi University Arts Faculty. Multiple screenings were led by Congress-backed NSUI (National Students Union of India), and BASF (Bhim Army Student Federation). 

However, keeping a tab on the developments and gathering at the Arts Faculty, the university administration called the police to halt the screening of the banned documentary. Despite police presence,the students insisted on screening the documentary which led to clashes between the students and the security personnel. 

As soon as the student groups started the screening, the university security guards rushed in to stop the screening. Despite section 144 of the CRPC being imposed outside the campus, the BASF still tried to screen the documentary. 

Soon after the security guards intervened, the student group rushed to the gate where they started protesting. This was when the police entered the campus and asked the students to disperse, following which, the student group started moving towards Vijay Nagar. 

After the incident surfaced, the university officials said that there was no permission given to organize the screening inside the DU campus. DU proctor Rajani Abi said that “we don’t know if the protesting students were from DU”.