BBC film screening at Jamia Millia Islamia stalled, 4 SFI leaders detained

Karam Prakash

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New Delhi, January 25

A day after ruckus at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) over the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots, four leaders of the Student Federation of India (SFI) were today detained by the Delhi Police hours ahead of its screening at Jamia Millia Islamia. The screening was eventually stalled.

10 others detained over protests on campus

• More than 10 students, including SFI members, were detained when they were protesting against the alleged illegal detention of the four leaders
• Jamia’s SFI unit claimed union leaders Azeez, Nivedya, Abhiram and Thejas had been detained
• It also claimed that other university students who had gathered to protest the police action were also detained

More than 10 students, including SFI members, were detained when they were protesting against the alleged illegal detention of the four leaders. Earlier, the gates of the university were locked amid heavy presence of police force outside the campus, which led to sloganeering by SFI members. Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar accused a students’ group planning to screen the documentary of “disturbing peace and harmony”, and asserted she would not allow such a behaviour in the university. The university authorities issued a notice to reiterate that “no gathering of students will be allowed anywhere in the university without prior permission of the competent authority. Strict disciplinary action will be taken against the organisers if students gather”.

Jamia’s SFI unit said union leaders Azeez, Nivedya, Abhiram and Thejas had been detained. It also claimed that other university students who had gathered to protest the police action were also detained.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said they had launched a probe into power outage and the stone-pelting incident at JNU on Tuesday. Two JNU students have alleged they were assaulted and harassed by some members of the students union, an allegation rejected by both Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh, who claimed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members threw stones at

a gathering watching the

documentary on Tuesday night. — (With agency inputs)