PM Modi should not visit agitating film institute students

Students should have continued their agitation till demands are met but they chose to involve politicians and the PM should keep away

GN Bureau | August 20, 2015


#ftti   #film   #pune   #prime minister  

What is the latest drama at Film and Television Institute of India? The agitating students demand presence of the prime minister of India.

"Prime Minister should visit FTII to resolve the issues. All students in the country are feeling threatened by the government’s insensitivity towards the problems being faced by them. The students should strike hard and strong if this continues", representative of the FTII Students' Association (FSA) Vikas Urs told reporters.

This demand is preposterous. The students have allowed their agitation to be politicized and not ready to listen to any reason on removal of TV actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as its chairman.

The students seem to have lost nerve to continue with their agitation and trying to drag in the prime minister of the country, to salvage their pride. In the bargain, they would like to involve the PM in such trivial matter, pertaining to one institution.

The film institute has at best been known for its students, who have made it big in commercial cinema. Other than these isolated students shining it has never has had huge impact on the country’s psyche.

The government has up a three-member team of officials from the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry and will visit the institute to find a solution to the crisis.

"We are very curious to see with what agenda they (the officials) are coming with. We are clueless. The students' body has not been told that the delegation is coming...We are hearing everything from the media. We are still expecting a good dialogue," Urs said.

Meanwhile, veteran actor Satish Kaushik believes the ongoing agitation by students of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) against its chairperson and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan is moving in a wrong direction due to political interference.

The 59-year-old FTII alumni said he supports the protests but feels students should keep politicians at bay. "Students protest is right. A person should have enough credentials to be in the position of a chairman of such a big institute. It does not matter which party the chairman is from. There have been chairpersons from BJP earlier too. He should have that stature. In the past few days, we have seen many politicians with FTII students. They should not allow that," Kaushik told reporters.

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