Nirbhaya rapist interview row: Centre exploring ways to get global ban on documentary
New Delhi: Heated debate was witnessed in Parliament on Wednesday after Union home minister Rajnath Singh said in a statement in Parliament that a restraining order had been obtained against the screening of India’s Daughter, a documentary based on the 2012 Delhi gangrape.
The controversial interview, conducted inside the Tihar jail premises in the national capital, shows the December 16 convict, Mukesh Singh, showing no remorse and blaming the victim for the gruesome crime.
In the Rajya Sabha some MPs, including Javed Akhtar, Anu Aga and Jaya Bachchan, pointed out that banning the interview was not a solution. However, the government considered a global ban, asking the I&B ministry, external affairs and information technology, and the BBC to ensure that the objectionable interview is not broadcast anywhere or put on social media.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a Delhi court issued an order restraining the airing or broadcast of the controversial interview of the December 16 gangrape convict “till further orders”.
The interview was recorded during the tenure of the previous UPA government. While the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) is planning legal action against the filmmaker, Leslee Udwin, for allegedly violating stipulated permission conditions, a “stunned” home minister said provisions for allowing such shoots inside jails would be reviewed.
Promising strict action and an “in-depth inquiry”, Mr Singh, in a suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament, said he was “hurt” and “shocked” as to how permission could be granted in July 2013 for such an interview in Tihar Jail.
Noting that the conditions for permission to conduct the interview were violated, Mr Singh said, “Under no circumstances will this documentary be allowed to be broadcast... Government has taken necessary action and secured an order restraining the telecast of the film. The government strongly condemns it and will “not allow any organisation to leverage such an incident for commercial use”.
Observing that not only Parliament but the entire nation was feeling ashamed about it, Mr Singh said he has already spoken to the I&B ministry and told them to explore ways to ensure that the documentary is not broadcast even abroad.
“Our government condemns the incident of 16th December 2012 in the strongest possible terms and will not allow any attempt by any individual, group or organisation to leverage such unfortunate incidents for commercial benefit,” Mr Singh said.
In a letter dated July 24, 2013, the MHA, under then home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, had given a consent letter to the Tihar Jail authorities saying they had “no objection to the proposal of Udwin for entering Tihar Jail to interview some convicts provided informed written consent of the convict is obtained from each of the convicts interviewed.”
Sources said the Tihar administration had already sent two legal notices to the filmmakers for not adhering to the norms. Mr Singh has conveyed to the Delhi lieutenant-governor, commissioner of police and the home ministry brass that responsibility may be fixed for any slip on the part of government officials in granting permission.
Initiating an inquiry, Mr Singh summoned the Tihar Jail director-general and the Delhi police lodged an FIR on Tuesday against unknown persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act for outraging the modesty of a woman. The police is now planning to question the filmmakers, sources said.
