SRFTI Kolkata students allege procedural lapses in show-cause, rustication orders; admin rejects claims

Amid the ongoing protest at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) Kolkata campus, the agitating students have alleged administrative irregularities in disciplinary actions taken against them. SRFTI students have condemned the administration for issuing show-cause notices to 14 students and rusticating six others.

However, the authorities said they took action after receiving a report from the fact-finding committee regarding "provocative and objectionable" graffiti on the institute's walls.

The students' agitation at the central government-run film school follows a series of incidents that began with a confrontation on the campus during an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP), an RSS-affiliated consumer awareness group, on September 27. 

Academic activities at the SRFTI have been disrupted and suspended since then, and students were asked to vacate the premises.

Students have also expressed concern over the continued police presence on campus, including in the areas around the hostels. The authorities strongly denied the allegations, dismissing them as false and saying the measures were taken to ensure students’ safety on campus.

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SRFTI Protest: Show-cause notice to 14 students

SRFTI registrar Deepak Kumar has confirmed that 14 show-cause notices have been issued to agitating students so far in light of the fact-finding committee's reports regarding objectionable writings on the institute's outer wall near the main gate on the night of October 23 and at the gate of the administrative building three days later. 

Such writings had the potential to disturb peace and order at the SRFTI, adding that the notices sought explanations from the individuals concerned. 

Students questioned the administration’s procedure, claiming a student who left campus on October 3 and never returned was served a notice on October 29. The registrar said that the student was issued a show-cause notice for defacing institute property and writing a provocative message on an outer wall, while others had received notices earlier on similar grounds.

Kumar further said: "The issuance and signing of show-cause notices by the chief accounts officer (CAO) Mahasweta Banerjee is part of the institute's established administrative practice."

Recently, the institute rusticated six students for violating campus discipline. 

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Provocative inscriptions on campus wall

According to the notice, the institute formed a committee to look into the defacement incidents on its premises. The committee checked CCTV footage and other visual evidence and named the student as one of those allegedly directly involved.

The committee described the inscriptions as "unparliamentary and provocative", claiming that they were likely to hurt public sentiments. 

The student was asked to explain why he should not face action for the alleged misconduct. Students questioned why the CAO issued the notice, saying only the administrative office should do so.

Earlier, in a statement, students had alleged that the repeated issuance of notices without verifying basic facts reflected a disturbing pattern in the administration's handling of the ongoing crisis

SRFTI Kolkata: Clash on campus 

After the September 27 clash, tension mounted on October 4 when the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Mancha protested outside the main gate. The protesters clashed with police and allegedly pelted the campus with stones, bricks, and bottles.

Students began an indefinite sit-in outside the office of vice-chancellor Santosh Ajmera on October 12, demanding accountability, proper security, and action against alleged attackers from outside.  In mid-October, the SRFTI administration suspended regular academic activities and asked the students to vacate the campus and hostels. With inputs from PTI