FTII students vs Gajendra Chouhan battle shifts to Delhi today

August 03, 2015 10:04

Intensifying their 52-day-old stir for removal of BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as Film and Television Institute of India's chairman, nearly 80 agitating students will hold a protest in New Delhi on Monday.

The students have been protesting against Chauhan's appointment since June 12, saying he lacked "vision and artistic credentials" to merit the post at the prestigious FTII.

Chauhan, known for his role of 'Yudhishtira' in popular tele-serial "Mahabharat", has refused to step down, claiming he is well equipped for the job and that if Centre, which has appointed him tells him to go he will do so.

"We will start our march from Jantar Mantar and head for the Parliament Street and will be joined by activists of other like-minded organisations to express their solidarity on the issue, which involves preservation of the Film and Television Institute of India's artistic and academic excellence and ethos," FTII Students' Association representative Ranjit Nair said.

The students' agitation assumed a political hue last Friday with the visit of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to the FTII campus where during an interaction with them, he attacked the RSS ideology alleging that it was systematically promoting "mediocrity" in various institutions.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has made it clear that it will not hold further talks with the students on their demands until the strike is called off and they returned to academics.

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