After protest by BYJM, over 200 students watch BBC documentary on personal devices on TISS campus

Ramadas Prini Sivanandan, a member of Progressive Students Forum (PSF), a student collective at TISS, said: “After a meeting with the institute administration in the evening, when we were denied the facilities to screen the film, the movie was played on laptops. It started with one laptop, however, as the number of students started increasing, eventually 10 laptops played the documentary on the institute’s main campus.”

“There was no screening but over 200 students watched the documentary either on laptops or on their mobile phones,” Sivanandan added.

In an official statement by the PSF, posted on social media, it congratulated TISS students for watching the documentary. “Despite maligning campaign upon TISS and the institute administration refusing any form of cooperation, close to 200+ students turned up in solidarity to our cause. There were 10 laptops streaming the documentary parallelly from various places of the campus. Groups of students were also streaming the documentary on their personal mobile phones. Collectively the students of TISS upheld our institution’s culture of debate, discussion and, most importantly, dissent.”

Earlier this week, the PSF had announced that it will screen ‘India: The Modi Question’ on Saturday. It led to a major controversy with the TISS administration issuing a circular on Friday, warning students from participating in any activity concerning the documentary. After the initial circular on Friday, the administration issued a second advisory on Saturday afternoon.

Around 100 police officers were deployed outside the institute gate in the event of a law and order situation.

A TISS student who attended the gathering, said, “The first part of the documentary was played on a few laptops and many students watched together. Earlier, PSF members, addressed the gathering in solidarity with the students from institutions in Delhi, detained for screening the documentary.”

Earlier in the day, the BYJM protested outside the campus against the screening of the documentary. Calling it an anti-India documentary, Tajinder Singh Tiwana from BYJM, submitted a letter to the TISS administration, advising against the screening. However, after assurance from the police that there will be no screening, the BYJM withdrew its protest.

Before the protest by BYJM, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar had tweeted against the screening, urging the TISS administration to stop the same.

Meanwhile, another student collective from TISS objected to the documentary being viewed on campus. Sairam Macha from Democratic Secular Students Forum said, “Despite warning by the administration and in presence of security forces, the controversial BBC documentary was viewed on campus on laptops. We condemned this. We also urge the TISS administration to take stringent action against PSF and students representatives who supported this.”

However, an official from TISS said, “No screening has taken place on the campus. Some students may have watched the documentary on their personal devices but that can hardly be monitored.”

Asked about the incident, NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “The BJP should not take law in its hands. If someone is doing anything wrong, let the law take its course.”

“Why BJP is scared? What’s wrong listening to the other side? Let people watch and then decide… You can’t attack freedom of speech,” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Manisha Kayande said.

The local Trombay police station said no FIR has been filed in connection to the incident.

Over the past few days, students at many educational institutes, including the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University and Ambedkar University in the national capital, have tried to screen the controversial BBC documentary.

The Centre had last week directed social media platforms Twitter and YouTube to block links to the documentary India: The Modi Question.