Date – 30.01.2023 –
Sourav Ghosh, General Secretary of AIDSO issued following statement to the press today.
“The BBC’s documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ is being attributed for the fierce controversy that it has sparked in the entire nation. The central government took no time to impose a ban on this documentary and it has been taken down from all social media platforms. In JNU, DU, Ambedkar University, HCU, TISS and many other educational institutions, notice has been issued against its screening and, wherever its screening is taking place, students are subjected to police actions and disciplinary actions. Watching a documentary is not a crime. It is highly condemnable that students who are being treated like criminals for watching a documentary. It seems that the Modi led Central government has become extremely fearful about the content of this documentary.
The attitude of the BJP government towards crushing free press and media is a blatant use of power against democratic practices and exposes its highly undemocratic and dictatorial face. Though, it is important to discuss about the communal agenda of BJP and the heinous role the Modi led state government played in 2002 in Gujarat genocide, but alongside, another worrisome issue that has loomed up is the flagrant way in which voices of dissent are being attempted to be silenced, in most cases by force. The ban on the screening with ‘red alert’ like situation, in itself, speaks against the Modi rule in 2002, as well as today.
The democratic spirit of man’s birth right to dissent, was best expressed in these words of Voltaire, a great French Enlightenment: “I wholly disapprove of what you say and will defend to the death your right to say it.” The BJP government has no regard to the fundamental principles of democracy and only believes in authoritarian rule.
We appeal to the students, in particular, and common people, in general, to oppose such undemocratic measures taken by an authoritarian government and raise their voices to defend democratic rights and its practices.”
