Students at KR Narayanan Institute in Kottayam screen ‘Ram Ke Naam’ despite RSS threat
text_fields
Members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been accused of obstructing the screening of Anand Patwardhan's 1992 documentary, "Ram Ke Naam" (In the Name of God), at the KR Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science & Arts (KRNNIVSA) in Kerala’s Kottayam district.
The documentary, which delves into the contentious issue of the Ayodhya Ram temple, was intended as a form of protest against the temple's inauguration.
The screening, organized by students, initially faced resistance from RSS members outside the college campus on January 22. Video footage posted on the official Instagram page of the KR Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts Students’ body depicts individuals verbally abusing the students in the presence of police personnel. Despite having obtained permission for the screening, the students encountered opposition that eventually led to a one-hour delay.
Speaking to the media, Students’ Council Chairman Sreedevan Perumal emphasized that the film institute students maintained composure and aimed to remind everyone of the existence of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya before its demolition.
According to the Students' Council, the RSS members issued threats, including the cutting off of hands and legs, if students took to the streets. The police urged the students to conduct the screening within the college premises, ignoring the threats and abuses directed at the students. The documentary was eventually screened in front of the college canteen.
In a Facebook post, Jaick C Thomas, leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), linked to the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), announced plans to hold the screening in front of the college campus under their protection, challenging BJP-RSS members to intervene.
Meanwhile, the Hyderabad unit of the Students Federation of India (SFI) conducted a successful screening of "Ram Ke Naam" at their campus, emphasizing unity to uphold the secular fabric of the nation. The documentary, directed by Anand Patwardhan, documents the RSS and Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) efforts to establish a temple at Babri Masjid and explores the aftermath of the violence during that period.