Ahead of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Hyderabad Police on Saturday halted the screening of a documentary on the demolition of the Babri Masjid, The News Minute reported.

The police also filed a case against three persons under Sections 290 (public nuisance), 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, according to ANI.

The documentary, Ram Ke Naam, was directed by filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and was released in 1992. It showed the rise of Hindu fundamentalism as reflected in the demand to demolish the Babri Masjid and build a Ram temple at the spot.

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On Saturday, the documentary was being screened at a cafe in Hyderabad’s Sainikpuri area. The screening was organised by a movie enthusiasts’ group named Hyderabad Cinephiles.

A Vishwa Hindu Parishad member named Ruthvik Pandrangi filed a police complaint against the screening. A member of the audience told The News Minute that the event started around 7.45 pm with about 15 members. Around 8.30 pm, a group of persons tried to disrupt the screening by vandalising the venue, the audience member said.

“A few more men showed up along with three to four policemen,” the participant said. “The police detained seven people, including three women. The police questioned the motive behind screening such movies. We argued that it is within our rights to view the documentary, which is an essential part of history.”

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Hyderabad Cinephiles said in an Instagram post that the police took the organisers for questioning and confiscated the projector.

“This is a direct attack on our democratic rights,” the group said. “We witnessed the same religious fanaticism portrayed in the film today.”

Also read:

A Hinduism that is the mirror opposite of Hindutva: Anand Patwardhan on the making of ‘Ram ke Naam’