Australian Parliament To Screen BBC Documentary On Modi And Gujarat Riots

The Australian Parliament House in Canberra will showcase a BBC documentary On Narendra Modi And Gujarat Riots

A coalition of diaspora organizations is hosting the screening event to raise awareness about the Modi government’s departure from the fundamental principles of India’s Constitution.

Documentary On Gujarat Riots And Narendra Modi’s Role To Be Screened In Parliament During His Ongoing Visit To Australia

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Sydney, the diversity of opinions within the Indian diaspora in Australia will be evident. The visit includes a large community event followed by a screening of the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question” in Canberra the next evening.

The screening, organized by diaspora organizations along with Amnesty International, will take place at Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra. The event is a private initiative and highlights concerns raised by these groups about India’s deviation from the constitutional principles under the Modi government.

The organizations involved in the screening include Hindus for Human Rights Australia & New Zealand, Muslim Collective, Periyar-Ambedkar Thought Circle-Australia, The Humanism Project, and the Centre for Culture-Centred Approach to Research and Evaluation.

While Modi’s visit is limited to Sydney and various official engagements, it is expected that he will have left the country by the time the documentary is screened in Canberra.

The two-part BBC documentary focuses on Modi’s actions during the 2002 Gujarat riots when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Following the screening, a discussion will take place, addressing the Gujarat riots and India’s situation under Modi’s leadership since 2014. The speakers include Aakashi Bhatt, daughter of imprisoned Gujarat police officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who spoke out against Modi, and Aakar Patel, former head of Amnesty International in India.

Australian senators David Shoebridge and Jordon Steele-John from the Australian Greens will also participate in the screening and discussion. They, along with their deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi, have written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging him to address human rights abuses and the persecution of minority groups during his discussions with Prime Minister Modi. The letter reflects the concerns within the Indian diaspora community, a sentiment shared by many politicians in Western countries with significant Indian diaspora populations.

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