New Delhi: On Saturday, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration strictly asked the students' union to cancel an unauthorized screening of Anand Patwardhan's documentary 'Ram Ke Naam' on campus.
The administration has also indicated that they will take "strict disciplinary action if the screening moves ahead." The university stated that the screening of the film might disturb communal harmony.
However, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students'' Union (JNUSU) said that it would go ahead with the screening at 9 pm on Saturday.
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"It has come to the notice of the undersigned that a group of students have in the name of JNUSU issued a pamphlet for screening a documentary/ movie 'Raam Ke Naam' programmed for tonight at 9.30 pm at Teflas. No prior approval for this event has been taken from the JNU administration. This is to indicate that such an activity may disrupt communal peace and amicable atmosphere of the University Campus," JNU Registrar Ravikesh stated in a notice.
"The individuals involved with the screening are strongly advised to cancel the scheduled programme immediately, failing which a severe disciplinary action as per university rules may be initiated against those responsible. The students are additionally directed not to get provoked by this pamphlet, which is unapproved and unwarranted," he stated.
JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh stated that the documentary had been screened in 2019 without any problem: "It's an award-winning film that has been shown on Doordarshan. There is nothing about it that can disturb communal harmony."
"So the puppet body of this RSS-BJP has come out with a circular that this documentary screening is unauthorised and might disturb the communal harmony. ''Ram ke Naam'' shows the truth, what is BJP doing in this nation and how communal hatred is spread by the right-wing fundamentalists in this secular nation," she claimed.
"The JNUSU will not back out at any cost. This screening will take place, and we ask the JNU student community to participate in huge numbers at 9 pm to watch this documentary," she added.
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