Saffron brigade of GUNDAS

On 7th February the capital city of Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Paradesh witnessed the vandalism of saffron brigade when Bajrang Dal activists halted the screening of the documentary film 'Encountered on Saffron Agenda?' made by a delhi based filmmaker Shubhradeep Chakravorty. Yuva Samvad, a Bhopal based youth organisation had organised the screening at AICUF Ashram here. it was supposed to start at 7 pm.

• About witness of Saffron Agenda
  The documentary 'Encountered on Saffron Agenda?' is based on investigative documentation of encounters of Sameer Khan Pathan (22 October, 2002), Sadik Jamal (13 January, 2003), Ishrat Jahan-Javed Seikh (16 June, 2004) and Shorabuddin Seikh (26 November, 2005), all happened in Gujarat. Those killed in these encounters were said to have on a mission to kill the Chief Minister Narendra Modi who had allegedly organised the 2002 genocide of Muslims in the state after Godhra train burning incident. With the help of interviews of family members of the victims, independent investigators, lawyers, eyewitness etc film tries to find out the truth behind Police stories and politics of encounters in Gujarat. It also substantiates its findings by showing lots of documents like FIRs, chargesheets, news clippings and photographs.
  
• Off the screening
  Around 6 pm Bajrang Dal activists started gathering at the venue of the screening in batches with saffron 'patkas' around their necks and 'tiliks' on their foreheads. One BD activist also came to Pradeep Singh, a volunteer of Yuva Samvad, and enquired about the show. Tension started mounting. The projection system came late so organisers were busy in fixing it inside the hall. Meanwhile Police came and took the Delhi based director of the film Shubhradeep Chakravorty along with the local organiser Upasana to their control room and ASP Mr. Pathak had forcefully asked the organisers to call off the screening.
  At the venue Bajrang Dal activists entered the office of the Ashram and threatened the authorities there. Police had refused to give any protection to the programme and under severe pressure from Bajrang Dal activists and Police administration Yuva Samvad had to call off the screening.
  
• Attack on right to expression
  The director Mr. Shubhradeep Chakravorty feels that it was an attack on right to expression and secular fabric of the country. He also said that it shows the state of MP where unruly saffron crowed is calling all the shots and administration is acting as a mere spectator.