[IndyMedia Bombay] Open Circle: Screening of Film Stopped

[PUKAR @ IndyMedia]

----- Original Message -----
From: sandhya srinivasan
To: nwm_mumbai@www.symonds.net
Cc: bandra_residents@yahoogroups.com ; insaniyaat@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2002 11:48 AM
Subject: screening of films stopped


Apologies for cross-postings if any.

Sandhya
----- Original Message -----
From: Open Circle
To: sandhya@bom3.vsnl.net.in
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2002 7:45 PM


OBSTRUCTION OF SCREENING OF FILMS ( Junun Ke Badhte Kadam & In dark 
Times By Guhar Raza) AT THE D.A.V COLLEGE, BHANDUP, MUMBAI.

The screening of the two above mentioned films was scheduled at the 
D.A V. College, Bhandup, on the 20th of July at 10.30 a.m.

Before we reached the college, the Kanjurmarg police station had 
issued a notice to the college, banning the screening of 
documentaries and putting up of any poster exhibition - the reason 
given was that- it is inflammatory and could incite communal riots. 
Initially the police had confused the film to be the Satyashodhak 
student group poster.

We spoke to the principal and the police, explained to them that our 
screenings were not linked to the Satyashodhak group and we were not 
going to put up any poster exhibition. But the police insisted that 
we give them the films saying that they would see it and decide 
whether it can be shown or not. The tapes were confiscated by the 
police. And as our screening equipment was in the taxi - the taxi 
keys were also taken away.

We were taken to the Kanjurmarg police station for interrogation. The 
interrogation was mainly on the aspect of what were the contents and 
intention of showing the films in the college and also the source and 
details of the organisers of the screening. We explained that these 
films were not banned and did not contain inflammatory footage. Our 
intention of showing these films was to promote communal harmony and 
sensitise the students and this was being done on request of the 
professors of the college, who had seen the same films few weeks back 
in a workshop for teachers from Bombay University organised in Sophia 
college, And thought it to be fruitful to be shown to their students.

At the police station we were questioned about what other films we 
had? where else we are showing these films? and from where we 
acquired these films?

Later we were taken to the DCP - Dhananjay Kamalakar of Zone VII - 
Mulund Police Station. He had already seen the tapes and wanted to 
interrogate us. We were asked the same questions as earlier. He then 
informed us that some parts of Junoon ke badte qadam by Gauhar Raza 
had footage from Gujarat and bytes against the VHP, RSS which were 
deemed to be problematic and needed to be analysed by Special Branch. 
And this was being done as the Maharashtra police has had a directive 
out for the last few months that they would not allow any party demo, 
meeting etc about Gujarat issue and had even stopped Narendra Modi's 
meeting. This was being done to preserve the communal harmony in the 
state.

We were finally told that the tapes had been sent to Special Branch 
for further investigation and were promised the return of our tapes 
in a few days. We and the principal of the school assume it could be 
the local AVBP and the BJP could have put pressure to stop the 
screening. We did see many stickers pasted ( Join AVBP) in and around 
the college especially after we came back from the police station. 
Students were quite agitated and upset about the screening being 
stopped.
Sameer
Archana Hande

21 July,2002
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