Students’ suspension from DU over BBC documentary: Shashi Tharoor calls it a disgrace

New Delhi: The Delhi University has decided to suspend two out of eight students who were involved in the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the university campus on January 27.

Many leaders from opposition parties have protested against Delhi University's decision. Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor expressed shock over it and slammed the decision in a tweet, stating that suspension from the university for watching a documentary is a disgrace and goes against the values of the university in a democracy.

“As a @Delhiuniversit alum committed to academic freedom & independence of thought, I am appalled by this shocking decision. To suspend a student for two years for watching a documentary in a democracy is a disgrace & a betrayal of everything a university should stand for. Sham!,” his tweet read.

The decision has been made after a recommendation from a University committee headed by DU Proctor Rajni Abbi, according to which PhD scholar Yogesh Chughan and an NSUI student leader will face suspension for up to two years. The other six individuals who were also involved in the matter have been recommended for minor punishments.

The National Students Union of India (NSUI) and the Bhim Army Student Federation (BASF) were the student union groups that organized the screening, despite receiving an order from the university prohibiting the screening.