The Film and Television Institute of India Students’ Association said on Tuesday that there was unanimity among students on the strike and reports about fear and coercion on the campus were false.
On Monday, advocate Vineet Dhanda filed a PIL before the Bombay High Court saying that some students wanted to resume classes but fear for their safety. The petition urged the Pune police to provide them protection.
Denying the claims in the PIL, FSA spokesperson Yashasvi Mishra told The Hindu , “The student body is unanimous on the strike. We deny reports about students living in fear. Please come to our campus and see for yourselves. Such reports are false and present incorrect facts. If the person who filed the petition claims that 18 students need police protection, why has he not given the names of the students? Everything is in the public domain. Why are they hiding? The FTII is not a secretive place.”
The High Court has sent notices to the student body and the State and Central governments calling for their replies to the PIL.
Mr. Mishra said that the students were yet to receive the court notice. They are in the process of engaging a lawyer to represent them at the High Court.
