Attempt To Screen BBC Documentary Foiled, Small Incident Blown Out Of Proportion: Jamia VC

BBC Documentary Row: “Whatever happened, happened on the streets. It was a small incident blown out of proportion. Our precautionary measures were good.” said Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor  

Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar

New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar Thursday said that the attempt to screen the BBC documentary on PM Modi and 2002 Godhara riots has been “completely foiled” and added that the precautionary measures taken by the university administration were good. 

“Nothing happened inside our university, an attempt was made but it was completely foiled,” the Jamia VC told news agency ANI. 

“Whatever happened, happened on the streets. It was a small incident blown out of proportion. Our precautionary measures were good.” she added.  

Nothing happened inside our university, an attempt was made but it was completely foiled. Whatever happened, happened on the streets. It was a small incident blown out of proportion. Our precautionary measures were good: Najma Akhtar, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia https://t.co/ttDGnGThBh pic.twitter.com/efdEySfTP2

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2023

13 students of the university were detained by the Delhi Police for organising the screening of the BBC documentary, ‘India: The Modi Question’ in the university campus on Wednesday, claimed the left-wing student’s body, Students Federation of India. The student’s body claimed that the detained students were not released yet, however, the Delhi Police has not responded to the claim, reported PTI. 

Several students were detained on Wednesday as they gathered outside the university gate to protest against the detention of four Students Federation of India students before the proposed screening of the documentary. 

While police released a majority of the detained students on Wednesday evening, 13 are still in detention, the SFI claimed, stated the PTI report. 

The screening of the documentary was announced by the SFI on Wednesday. The student’s outfit had said that the documentary would be screened at the MCRC lawn, gate number 8 at 6 pm on January 25. 

Of the 13, four — SFI Jamia Unit secretary Azeez, SFI South Delhi Area vice president Nivedya, and SFI units members Abhiram and Tejas -- were detained on Wednesday morning, it alleged, adding that they are all students of the Jamia Millia Islamia. "Four students were detained on Wednesday morning. Its been over 24 hours since they have been detained. The rest were detained later in the evening," SFI Delhi committee secretary Pritish Menon.

The university on Wednesday became the centre of a kerfuffle after SFI's plans to organise the screening