The attempt to screen BBC documentary on Gujarat riots by members of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Sunday was stopped after police promised to give them permission for screening the same on Monday.
As the news about the plan of DYFI to screen the documentary, which holds then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi responsible for the communal riots, police personnel, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), S. Arumugasamy, were deployed near Veerakaliamman Temple at Jaihindpuram.
The police spoke to the DYFI office-bearers, including its district secretary, T. Selva, and treasurer, Paval Sindhan. They asked DYFI not to screen the documentary as no police permission had been granted for it.
“The police officials had promised that they would give us proper permission to screen the documentary at Jeeva Nagar on Monday,” said Mr. Selva.
Stating that they had faith in the words of the city police officials, Mr. Selva said they would screen the video documentary at the spot advised by the police. “If the police deny us permission on Monday, we will stick to our plan of screening it near the temple tomorrow,” he added.
Mr. Selva added that the ban on the documentary was against the spirit of freedom of speech.
“The same Union Government had promoted The Kashmir Files, another documentary on the attack on Kashimiri pandits. If any quarter has any objection to the contents of the BBC documentary, they can also make another documentary to counter it,” he said.
The BBC documentary has revealed truths about Gujarat riots and “it is our duty to take them to the people,” Mr. Selva said.
