The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: A screening of Anand Patwardhan’s award-winning documentary, Ram ke Naam, was disrupted by Hindutva groups on Sunday (January 21). The police reached the scene – a restaurant in the city – and took action against the organisers of the event instead of those who had disrupted it. Four people – including those who own Marley’s Joint Bistro where the event was held and members of the organising body, Hyderabad Cinephiles – were arrested. They have been charged under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 290 (public nuisance), 295A (outraging religious feelings) and 149 of the Indian Penal Code.
Patwardhan’s documentary traces the Ram Janmabhoomi movement of the 1990s and the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. In a recent interview to The Wire, Patwardhan said he was disappointed that the movie is still so relevant, in the context of the Ram temple in Ayodhya being inaugurated on January 22.
In a statement, Hyderabad Cinephiles have detailed what happened and criticised both the police and the state Congress government. Read the full statement below.
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On 20 January, screening and discussion of Anand Patwardhan’s documentary ‘Ram ke Naam’ was organised by Hyderabad Cinephiles at Marley’s Joint Bistro, Sainikpuri. The screening hadn’t even reached the midpoint when around 10 people entered and disrupted the program. They were pointing their fingers at the organisers and participants yelling, stating that it’s illegal to screen this movie and that their religious sentiments were hurt. They tried to pull and tear the screen. They abused the organisers and used misogynist slurs and termed the organisers as anti-Hindu. They created such a ruckus that the screening had to be stopped midway. Few moments later, the police also appeared at the scene. The organisers tried to explain that it’s not a banned movie and it’s available on YouTube, but they were not ready to listen to them. The film got a U censor certificate in 1992 (for unrestricted public exhibition). It won a National Award and a Filmfare award that year. Bombay High Court ruled that it should be telecasted on primetime Doordarshan. But despite all the facts provided by the organisers, the police took the organiser, participants and the cafe owner to the Neredmet police station.
The goons who disrupted the program were present at the police station, but instead of taking any action against them, the police started questioning the organisers and participants themselves. An organiser and a participant were kept in police lock up throughout the night. The police did not allow their lawyer to meet them. On 21 January, the police filed cases against the organiser, a participant and the two cafe owners under sections 143, 290, 295 (A) R/W 149 of Indian Penal Code. The police also confiscated a projector, loudspeaker used in the screening. The mobile phones of one of the organiser and a participant were also seized. All the accused were released yesterday after being presented before the magistrate, but the formal bail order has not been received by them yet.
This incident is yet another instance of increasing curb on the freedom of expression in the country and attacks against the democratic right of citizens. Telangana is a state ruled by the Congress party and this incident is quite telling of their claims of secularism and democracy as the Hyderabad police, instead of acting against the unlawful disruption by the right wing people and ensuring that the screening goes on, clearly acted in a unconstitutional manner at the behest of the right wing goons.
The leaders of Congress have openly called the BJP and the Sangh Parivar fascist but this action contradicts those statements. They have emphasised on the need for secularism but this was the time to ensure it, to ensure that the democratic secular rights of people are preserved, but that did not happen. We are afraid that it does not matter which party is in government when it comes to police action. The fascisisation of police and the internal capture of state power by the RSS is clearly the reality of our times.