AAP News: Terming the screening of Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) documentary ‘unbreakable’ a ‘violation of guidelines,’ the Delhi Police claimed that “no permission” was taken for it. This follows the AAP announcement of the screening of the documentary ‘Unbreakable,’ based on the time when the AAP leaders, including former CM Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and others, went to jail.
Reacting to Delhi Police’s action against the screening of the documentary, AAP national convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said that this film screening was not an election event; rather, it was a private event. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Kejriwal said that the movie wasn’t an election campaign and there was no election flag, speech, or election propaganda present at the movie screening site.
Slamming the BJP over the Delhi Police’s action, the AAP chief reiterated his claim that the saffron party is “scared” of this film as it exposes “illegal and unconstitutional actions” of the Central government. He also condemned the way film screening was stopped.
“A film has been made on AAP. Today we had a special screening for journalists, but the Delhi police in the morning reached there and stopped the screening of the film. It was a private screening. It was not an election campaign; there was no election flag, election speech, or election propaganda. Why is the BJP scared of this film? It was a private screening of the film. I haven’t seen this film, but I was told that this shows the story when AAP leaders were sent to jail, and it exposes illegal and unconstitutional actions of the BJP government. That’s why BJP is scared. We condemn the way film screening was stopped. We hope we will get the permission to screen this film,” Kejriwal said.
“This is not an election event. It has nothing to do with the election. This is not any party symbol or flag. We tried to make the police understand. This is hooliganism and dictatorship,” he added. Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police said that “no permission” was taken for the screening of the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) documentary ‘Unbreakable,’ and hence its screening would have been a ‘violation of guidelines.’.
The police emphasized that the political parties have to apply for permission for such events through a single-window system at the District Election Officer’s (DEO) office, adding that the police can neither grant nor reject such permission at this time. They urged the political parties to follow the election rules and regulations at the time of the election.
“For the said event, no such permission was taken, and hence it would have been a violation of guidelines. We urge all parties to follow the election rules and regulations at this time. As elections have been declared, political parties have to apply for permission through a single-window system at the DEO office. This is a standard process during elections,” the Delhi Police said.
“Further, it is clarified that Delhi Police can neither grant nor reject such permission at this time, as all permissions for political activity are granted through a single-window system in the concerned DEO office,” it further stated.
Following this statement, the ruling AAP alleged that the Delhi Police banned the screening of the documentary at the “behest” of its primary opponent, BJP. The AAP sources told news agency ANI that theatre owners across Delhi have been threatened not to screen the documentary.
“Screening of AAP’s documentary ‘Unbreakable’ | Delhi Police banned the screening of the documentary at the behest of the BJP. This documentary is made on AAP leaders going to jail and was to be screened today at 11:30 AM. Theatre owners across Delhi have been threatened not to screen the documentary,” ANI quoted AAP sources as saying. Delhi will go for polls on February 5, while the counting of votes will take place on February 8.
(With ANI Inputs)
