The police stormed the Film and Television Institute of India campus here about an hour past Tuesday midnight and arrested five students on charges related to the alleged confining of the institute’s director in his cabin by them.
Many political leaders and prominent persons, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, condemned the raid.
The police said Raju Biswas, Vikas Urs, spokesman of the FTII Students’ Association, Himanshu Prajapati, Sachit Paulose and Ameya Gore have been charged with offences under Sections 147 (rioting), 143 and 149 (unlawful assembly), 353 (obstructing public servant from discharging duty), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code. They are among the 17 students facing the charges.
The five arrested were granted bail on Wednesday evening and the remaining 12, three of them women, got anticipatory bail. Police authorities said they had been “ordered” to make the arrests as a group of faculty members and students thronged the police station in the morning.
Speaking out for the first time after the students launched a protest over the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as FTII Chairman, eminent film-maker Shyam Benegal, a former Chairman, condemned the police action.
“In an educational institution, you don’t allow a third party [police] to come in. You ought to be able to solve the problems between the institute and those who are fighting against it. This is ridiculous. It has never happened before and I am absolutely shocked at the fact that the police were invited into the institution to take students into custody,” he said.
Central team at FTII for probe
Am shocked to hear whats gng on at FTII. An internationally reputed institute being systematically destroyed by govt's wrong decisions(1/3)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) >August 19, 2015
My offer to FTII students- Del govt can provide u temp space in Del. Run ur classes here till central govt agrees(2/3)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) >August 19, 2015
If finally, central govt doesn't agree, we'll convert this place into full fledged institute n students can continue studying here only(3/3)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) >August 19, 2015
Rahul Gandhi reacts to the arrest:
Protesting >#FTII students arrested in >#midnightcrackdown .Our students are not criminals Modiji.Silence.Suspend.Arrest:ModiMantra for AcheDin
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) >August 19, 2015
Here's a look at the FTII limbo that has been going for weeks now:
FTII Limbo
Gajendra Chauhan, an actor-turned-politician, was appointed as the chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) on June 9, 2015. His appointment triggered an >indefinite strike by students of the institute on June 12.
Who is Chauhan?
Mr. Chauhan is best known as 'Yudhisthira' in the Mahabharata TV series aired on Doordarshan in 1988-90. He has been associated with BJP for over two decades but formally joined the party in 2004.
Why protest?
Students of FTII have questioned Mr. Chauhan's body of work and "creative credentials." The students doubt if Mr. Chauhan can fill the shoes of predecessors like R.K. Laxman, Syam Benegal, Girish Karnad and U.R. Ananthamurthy.
Political vendetta?
Students claim that Mr. Chauhan's appointment is an attempt of the ruling party to foist its right-wing agenda upon the Institute.
Supporters
Besides, prominent film personalities, All India Students' Association (AISA), the Kolkata-based Satyajit Ray Film Institute, and students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) are all coming out strongly in support of the striking students.
If they don't want you, they don't want you. Pushing for the chairmanship is getting you no where. Let self pride play a role and retire
- >Rishi Kapoor
FTII needs to be in safe hands. Students need somebody who they can trust and look up to. It's their future which is at stake here.
>- Rajkumar Rao
This is something we should be talking about and by this we will clearly know that it is a mistake and that he has no credentials...If I would have been in place of Chauhan and I would have seen that my fraternity does not want me, I would have withdrawn.
>- Amol Palekar
Don't think what the students are asking for is illogical, don't think they are asking for the moon. They are just asking for a fair chance, a fair opportunity, correct faculty, correct syllabus.
- Ranbir Kapoor
I have neither been approached by students nor by authorities. But being an alumnus of this institute to which I owe my film career, I am more than willing to step in and sort out matters if given the chance to do so.
- >Shatrughan Sinha
Prominent chairmen
Anwar Jamal Kidwai (1974 - 1977)
First chairman, founder of Mass Communication Research centre at Jamia Millia Islamia.
>R.K. Laxman (1977- 1980)
Legendary cartoonist, Padma Bhushan, Vibhushan. Known for creating the character "Common Man".
> Shyam Benegal (1981 - 1983) (1989 - 1992)
Known for pioneering parallel cinema. Recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award among others.
> Mahesh Bhatt (1995- 1998)
Award-winning director, screenwriter, producer in mainstream Hindi cinema.
>U.R. Ananthamurthy (2005-2008) (2008-2011)
Eminent author, Padma Bhushan. Pioneered Navya movement in Kannada language.
Published - August 19, 2015 07:17 am IST
