THRISSUR: Activists of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) forcefully stopped the screening of 'Ocean of Tears', a Kashmiri documentary film on Friday afternoon at the ninth edition of the ViBGYOR international short and documentary film festival being held in Thrissur.
The film was later screened after police removed the activists from the theatre hall.
A dozen activists of RSS, shouting Vande Mataram, barged into the regional theatre hall and tried to destroy the projection screen, projector and other equipment at 6.20pm, about 10 minutes into the beginning of the film, directed by Bilal A Jan.However, the wild act of the RSS men was aptly resisted by the 400-odd spectators, who unitedly protested against the saffron outfits by shouting 'RSS go back'. BJP state cell coordinator B Gopalakrishnan, had on Thursday, demanded that the organizers of the film festival not to screen 'Ocean of Tears', alleging that the movie maligned the image of Indian Army.
Earlier, the assistant commissioner of police (Thrissur city) Hari Sankar had personally visited the venue to ensure smooth screening of the movie. The police authorities had also watched the movie on Friday well before the movie was screened and had deputed cops and shadow police for security inside and outside the theatre hall.
Though all the spectators were allowed to enter regional theatre only after thorough screening, the protesters jumped the compound walls to enter the theatre hall. The festival organizers, at the same time, alleged that police made way for the protesters before and after the issue was broken out.
RSS men demolished hoardings and banners displayed in the entrance of the regional theatre during their protest and destroyed the compound gate. Police authorities also let the protesters leave the venue without arresting them at the spot.
Film directors and social activists criticised the RSS men's act as 'cultural fascism' and as an attempt to prevent the screening of the movie as a violation of fundamental right of free expression and creative freedom.