SRFTI students continue class boycott for 10th day over security

KOLKATA: The standoff between protesting students and authorities at the SRFTI continued on Thursday, with students boycotting classes for the 10th consecutive day, demanding better security on the campus. The students alleged that the institute authorities had warned them of disciplinary action if they failed to return to classes.

Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute ( SRFTI ) Students' Union general secretary Nachiket told PTI that the academic boycott would continue despite pressure from the office of Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera to resume classes.

"We are continuing our academic boycott in the wake of the October 4 rally by the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Manch at the main gate of the campus and the alleged indiscriminate hurling of stones and bottles at students and others on the campus. There has been no demonstrative action to bring the perpetrators to book," he said.

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SRFTI protests over campus security

"We will let you know about our future course of action, but we will not budge from our demand," Nachiket said. A section of students alleged that the authorities had also warned that their academic careers could be affected if they continued with the agitation and remained absent from classes. Ajmera could not be reached for comment despite attempts to contact him and an email sent to him.

A senior SRFTI official said most students were boycotting classes and not responding to appeals from faculty members and authorities, though a few students had started attending classes from Thursday.

"The priority of the institute is to ensure that students of the government-run institution return to classes at the earliest. There can be no exception to this," the official said. The standoff follows incidents of clashes on the SRFTI campus since September 27.

Students have alleged that they were attacked by members of the Hindu Jagaran Manch and accused the authorities of failing to adequately address the incidents. According to sources, two incidents of violence took place on the campus following a September 27 programme organised by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP), an RSS-affiliated consumer awareness group.

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SRFTI Students' Union

The continuing protest has raised concerns over academic activities at the institute. With the Durga Puja vacation approaching, classes for first-year students were still pending, while no major theory classes were scheduled for students of other years, the SRFTI official said. The students have maintained that they would continue their protest until their concerns over campus security and the alleged attacks are addressed.

In a letter to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on October 3, the SRFTI Students' Union, along with the Students' Union of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, sought adequate security personnel at campus gates and entry points, better coordination between the administration and local police, and steps to prevent crowds from gathering outside the main gate.

They also sought transparency in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report of Kolkata Police into the September 27 incident. Police maintained a vigil at the institute's main gate, which remained barricaded. In a statement issued on October 5, the institute said it was "deeply concerned" about the incidents and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of its students.

"SRFTI unequivocally condemns any act of violence, intimidation or attempt to unlawfully enter the campus," it said, adding that a formal complaint had been filed and that the institute was working with local authorities to maintain peace and order in and around the campus.