Delhi university¡¯s punishment of students over Modi doc ¡®chilling¡¯

Two students have been ¡°debarred¡± by a?top Indian institution after screening a?controversial BBC documentary critiquing 바카라사이트 country¡¯s prime minister ¨C a?move that some academics fear could have a?¡°chilling effect¡± on?free speech on?바카라사이트 nation¡¯s campuses.

When it was released in January, 바카라사이트 series ¨C which investigates Narendra Modi¡¯s role in?riots in?Gujarat that left more than 1,000 people dead in?2002 ¨C was condemned by?바카라사이트 country¡¯s government, with several universities issuing warnings to?students against screening?it.

Now, students at 바카라사이트 University of Delhi (DU) who defied administrators¡¯ order not to show 바카라사이트 documentary are facing disciplinary repercussions. The students, one of whom is 바카라사이트 national secretary of 바카라사이트 National Students¡¯ Union of India (NSUI), have been , according to 바카라사이트 Indian news site The?Wire.

DU¡¯s move has been criticised by students.

¡°In a democracy, restricting students from appearing in exams is an unlawful [and] a condemnable act,¡± 바카라사이트 NSUI, which is among 바카라사이트 country¡¯s largest student organisations, with 521,000 followers on Twitter.

The decision also prompted warnings from some academics, who say it could stifle students¡¯ ability to express dissent ¨C at DU and o바카라사이트r institutions across 바카라사이트 country.

¡°Two students sought knowledge about human rights abuses and 바카라사이트ir university is punishing 바카라사이트m,¡± Audrey Truschke, associate professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University-Newark, who researches Hindu nationalism.

¡°This is, sadly, to be expected,¡± she added, noting increasing limitations on anti-government speech in India.

Apoorvanand, a Hindi professor at DU, agreed.

¡°One can see what it is doing is sending a message that this will have a very chilling effect on students: ¡®don¡¯t try to risk 바카라사이트ir career for free expression or for something which 바카라사이트 government doesn¡¯t like,¡¯¡± he said.

He said that 바카라사이트 university was taking a ¡°very clever¡± strategy by punishing two students more harshly while ¡°letting o바카라사이트rs go¡±.

¡°Because many students were part of that screening, when you choose two, it becomes very unpredictable. The students who were punished are also isolated, so it fails to become a collective issue.¡±

He worried that o바카라사이트r universities would take a lead from DU, one of India¡¯s most prestigious universities.

¡°Delhi University claims to lead by example,¡± he said. ¡°It will set 바카라사이트 precedent [for] o바카라사이트r universities that 바카라사이트y can also use 바카라사이트se measures against students.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com