Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar in a veiled manner justified police handling of the protesting students and former students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) who have been complaining of victimisation by police during the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
When asked at his press conference here on Monday for his comments on the allegations of the students on Sunday that they are being treated like terrorists by police, Mr. Parsekar said their issue had nothing to do with IFFI or the Goa government. He went on to say that the State government is duty bound to ensure that the film festival goes off without any problems.
“They should raise their issue at appropriate level and that is Central government. IFFI is an international event and any disruption and unpleasant things at the IFFI would spoil the name of the country,” the Chief Minister said and went on to say that if they had met him with their grievance, he would have taken it up with the appropriate authorities in New Delhi.
Benegal questions students
Asserting that students are not criminals and crooks, and should be engaged in dialogue, veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal on Monday went on to also question the students for their quantum of outrage against FTII chairman Gajendra Chauhan.
Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of IFFI 2015, Mr. Benegal also said that political ideology had no role to play in the discharge of duties as chairman of the FTII.
“The fact is students are students. They are not anti-national. They may be unhappy. They may think that things are not quite correct, but the fact is that it is for those in charge to deal with them in a way which makes sense. My own opinion is that you have to meet the students and talk to them,” Mr. Benegal reiterated.
FTII students had staged a prolonged strike from June 12 this year, in protest against the appointment of Mr. Chauhan as the institute’s chairman, claiming the artiste was unfit for the position.
The students called off the strike on October 29, but continued their protests. They have also tried to use IFFI which is organised by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as a venue for their protest inviting arrests of some of them at the venue.
Parallel film festival
The two-day parallel film festival which will screen films of students and former students of FTII has been described by them as “another step towards reclaiming our freedom of thought and artistic expression that is under relentless attack currently across the country.”
The screening of film documentaries will be held in the city on Tuesday and Wednesday. The FTII students who have been in the protest mode have invited the delegates and filmmakers attending IFFI and film bazaar along with the students, artists, activists, lawyers, journalists and public of Goa to join them for screenings and discussions over the next two days to find out about their concerns.
“In event of the bizarre scenario of the students section being cancelled from this edition of the ongoing IFFI, we feel it is pertinent to screen a package of films made by students of FTII ,” said a student spokesperson on Monday. “The package represents a wide variety of student work which reflects the plurality of FTII’s artistic expression and aspiration. Along with the students’ works, the two-day festival will also screen films made by some former students who returned their national awards recently in solidarity with the brave and spirited struggle of FTII students against the appointments made at the FTII society by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting,” said the spokesperson.
