The ongoing stalemate crippling the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) worsened on Friday after the health of one the three students, who are on an indefinite hunger strike protesting the controversial appointment of BJP leader Gajendra Chauhan as FTII chairman, deteriorated rapidly.
Hilal Savad, a 2014 Television Camera student, who went on a hunger strike on Thursday, was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Joshi Hospital on Friday evening following an alarming drop in his sugar levels, informed Vikas Urs, a spokesman for the FTII Students’ Association (FSA) spearheading the strike against Mr. Chauhan's appointment.
A grim atmosphere pervaded the strike-beleaguered campus as the indefinite agitation entered its 92nd day. The health of the other two students, Ankit Arora and Himanshu Shekhar, was fast deteriorating as well, said Mr. Urs.
A third student, Ankit Thapa, had taken Mr. Savad's place and was now on an indefinite hunger strike, said the FSA.
Meanwhile, strongly condemning the Information and Broadcasting (I & B) Ministry’s apathy in resolving the crisis, the FSA confirmed that no word has been forthcoming from the Ministry despite the students’ ongoing hunger fast.
“It is appalling that the Centre and the Ministry has chosen to deal with the students’ problems by donning an air of utter indifference,” said Mr. Urs, reiterating that the Ministry had still not communicated to the FTII administration or the students on the report submitted by the three-member delegation led by S.M. Khan on the problems bedevilling the institute and the immediate causes behind the strike.
