Screening of Ram Ke Naam, the documentary by Anand Patwardhan, took place on Wednesday evening at Jadavpur University, even as university authorities had not granted formal permission. The event was organised by a section of students and concluded without major disruption.
This is not an isolated instance. Over the years, student groups in several colleges and universities across India have attempted to screen the film, at times triggering tensions on campuses.
Background of earlier screenings
A similar effort was made in August 2019 at Presidency University and Jadavpur University. That year saw the BJP return to power at the Centre with a majority, forming the Narendra Modi-led NDA government for a second term. In November, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, allowing the construction of a Ram temple at the contested site.
While Presidency University did not permit the screening at the time, Jadavpur University allowed it to go ahead.
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Permission row and student response
Sources indicated that Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya had declined permission for this week’s screening as well. However, a section of students argued that such events do not require prior approval. The BJP’s student wing ABVP opposed the move, prompting the university administration to appeal to all sides to maintain calm.
The screening began after 5 pm and was held under the banner of a group named “Art Against Oppression”.
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Film’s context and past controversy
Made in 1992, Ram Ke Naam examines the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and its aftermath, tracing developments from Mumbai to Ayodhya.
The documentary is not banned in India. However, a 2019 screening at the University of Hyderabad was halted, and several students were detained, a move that had earlier sparked protests and similar screening attempts in Kolkata.
The screening comes shortly after members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s morning branch began physical training on campus. Earlier, a BJP workers’ gathering had claimed that “Jadavpur is now in the control of nationalists”. Over the past two years, ABVP has also been organising Ram Navami celebrations within the university.
