ABVP holds pre-release screening of 'Bastar: The Naxalite Story' on JNU campus, poll body says permission not granted

New Delhi: RSS' student wing ABVP on Wednesday held a pre-release screening of a movie on the JNU campus based on Naxalite insurgency with the varsity's poll body stating that no permission was granted for the event.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) organised a pre-release screening of 'Bastar: The Naxalite Story' at the Convention Centre auditorium on the JNU campus which met objections from Left group outfits.

The event was attended by the film's director Sudipto Sen and the main star cast Adah Sharma.

The varsity's Election Committee called the screening of the film a violation of the partial code of conduct effective on the campus amid the ongoing JNUSU election process.

"It has come to the notice of the Election Committee that a movie titled 'Bastar: The Naxalite Story' was held at the Convention Centre on March 13, 2024. The Election Committee clarifies that no information was given or no permission was obtained for the event," Election Committee chairperson Shailendra Kumar said in a statement.

"The EC had informed the competent authority prior to the event that this event is in violation of the partial code of conduct for the JNUSU elections 2023-24," he added.

The screening met objections from the Left students groups with the ABVP claiming that the electricity supply was cut several times to halt the event.

The screening was held ahead of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) elections slated for March 22 and the declaration of results on March 24.

Currently, a partial code of conduct is in effect in the JNU which prohibits holding any event without prior permission from the Election Committee.