By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has cancelled the invitation for a lecture of noted scientist, social activist and documentary film maker Gauhar Raza, at the last minute purportedly after it learnt that he has made a documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots Junoon Ke Badhte Kadam (Evil Stalks the Land).
Raza was not given any direct reason for cancellation and he believed that the cancellation of the programme was due to some technical reasons. English Daily The Hindu, however, reproted the cancellation connecting it with the film on 2002 riots. It quoted the IIMC Director-General Sunit Tandon saying: “The event was scheduled at a time I could not attend. It was also clashing with other engagements.”
Gauhar Raza
Raza fails to understand why his lecture was cancelled as he is not ready to accept that it was cancelled over his film. His wife and noted civil rights activist Shabnnam Hashmi, however, wrote on her Facebook, “So those who do 2002 can rule the country and the voices of those who expose 2002 will be throttled,” adding in Hindi, “2002 karna jurm nahin 2002 do par film banana jurm hai (Committing 2002 (riot) is not a crime, but making a film (on it) is).”
Hashmi has been very vocal against Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Gauhar Raza is an Indian scientist by profession, and a leading Urdu poet, social activist and documentary film maker working to popularize the understanding of science among general public, known for his films like Jung-e-Azadi, on the India’s First War of Independence, and Inqilab (2008) on Bhagat Singh.
He was also the honorary director of Jahangirabad Media Institute.
His poetry collection Zazbon Ki Lau Tez Karon has been noticed for the frankness of tone and for the social concerns that they take up and treat sensitively. He also wrote lyrics for a Hindi film Say Salaam India released in 2007.
The IIMC, that turns out 350 media professionals every year is funded by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its Secretary if the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Institute.