Indian authorities New Delhi have blocked the broadcast of an interview with a convicted — and unremorseful — rapist from the bombshell 2012 rape case that sparked a global outcry. The director of the BBC documentary says the authorities have no justification for the ban.
Government officials said they were concerned that footage from the interview — which is part of the documentary ''India's Daughter'' by Leslee Udwin — shows the inside of the Tihar jail, where media are not allowed. Udwin questioned that rationale, saying she did, in fact, receive permission from the director-general of the jail and local government, including written and signed documents.
"India's Daughter" includes an interview with one of the attackers, Mukesh Singh, who is currently on death row along with three of the other convicted rapists. Singh's interview has already been published on the BBC's website. His comments shocked many in India and around the world because he shows no remorse for the rape — at one point saying that the 23-year-old victim should not have "fought back." Singh is appealing his death sentence.
One grass-roots women's activist in India says she has no problem with the documentary but an issue with the timing of its release, particularly with a person's life at stake.
"For her to have pursuaded the convict's mother that it is important for him to give the interview, and then to interview him as the prime example of a rapist's mind and so on and so forth--it's something that seems to be deeply unethical to me,'' says Kavita Krishnan, secretary of the All India Progressive Women's Association. Krishnan was among those interviewed for the documentary.
Indian authorities are also are trying to block the international broadcast of the documentary, scheduled for Sunday, March 8.
Udwin, the director, made an emotional plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi “to deal with this unceremonious silencing of the film” in India.
“India should be embracing this film — not blocking it with a knee-jerk hysteria without even seeing it,'' Udwin said in a statement. "This was an opportunity for India to continue to show the world how much has changed since this heinous crime. Sadly … the banning of the film will see India isolated in the eyes of the world. It’s a counterproductive move.”
“Whoever is behind this — please see the film and then come to a conclusion.”
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