FTII students protested outside the institute’s main gate in Pune on Tuesday in solidarity with students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, who are on an indefinite strike over the rustication of six students and alleged campus violence.
The protest sought the revocation of the rustication orders issued by SRFTI and raised concerns about the handling of student demonstrations, campus security and the use of educational institutions for programmes organised by external groups. The SRFTI students began their strike on October 12 outside the office of the institute’s vice-chancellor.
According to the report by Times of India, the strike followed violence on the SRFTI campus after students opposed a programme organised on September 27 by an alleged right-wing organisation without their consent. Students have alleged that they were assaulted during the incident. They also said another organisation marched to the institute on October 4 and threw stones and bottles at them, injuring two students.
The SRFTI administration has presented a different account of the disciplinary action. In an official notification cited in the report, the institute said the six students were rusticated for specific acts of misconduct, including vandalism, defacement and physical assault. The administration said the orders were not related to peaceful protest and added that it supports the right to peaceful dissent while enforcing institutional rules.
The students dispute that account. Malavika Ezhapilly, a member of the SRFTI student union, said allegations of vandalism at the vice-chancellor’s office and misconduct by students were false. She also alleged that the administrative building containing the campus’s only water filter was closed after 7 pm on weekdays and throughout weekends while the protests continued.
Ezhapilly further said the institute issued a notice on October 16 announcing that the campus would remain closed until November 13. The notice also announced the closure of the mess and canteen and asked students to vacate the hostels. Students have described these measures as attempts to pressure them into ending the protest, while the administration has cited campus management and security concerns.
The SRFTI Student Union has demanded the resignation of the vice-chancellor, withdrawal of the rustication notices and a meeting to establish accountability for those who permitted the external organisation’s programme on campus. It has also sought amendments to the institute’s bylaws to prevent SRFTI space from being rented to outside organisations without appropriate safeguards.
In a statement on the October 4 incident, SRFTI said it had filed a formal complaint with the authorities concerned. The institute also said it was taking measures to strengthen campus security and protect the well-being of the SRFTI community. The FTII protest in Pune adds pressure to a dispute that now involves student discipline, access to campus services, security arrangements and the authority of educational institutions to regulate dissent.
