Over 80 FTII students stages protest at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, Aug. 3 : Over 80 agitating students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) held a protest march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street today against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the Pune-based institute’s chairman.The FTII students strike entered its 52nd day on Monday.”We have been protesting for more than 50 days now but the government has replied to us after the initial dialogue. So, our purpose of coming to Delhi is this only, that we should be heard. We had sent the letter to all the leaders, across the party lines, out of which only Rahul Gandhi replied and came forward,” said a student protester.
“This kind of trend cannot go on. The government has to take a firm stand; they have to come up with solutions. For FTII, they have to re-open the channel of dialogue,” said another student.The FTII students association had sent a letter to Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore yesterday requesting him to start a positive dialogue on the issue.The students have been protesting against Chauhan’s appointment due to his affiliation to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his lack of experience and stature. A billboard at the entrance of the institute had earlier asked Chauhan to resign and leave.Other student groups have been protesting against the decision as well, with organisations like the AISA encouraging Chauhan to quit.Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who recently visited the institute, had backed the students and accused the government of suppressing their wishes. He had also asked the ruling dispensation to hear the students’ grievances in wake of the controversy over Chauhan’s appointment.Chauhan was appointed to the top post on June 9 this year.