After 139 days, stir at FTII is called off

Students of the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune called off their 139-day-lomg strike against Gajendra Chauhan as the institute’s chairman on Wednesday. Sources said the students were pushed to the wall due to two factors: the government’s threat to close the institute and growing fissures among protesting students.

A source close to the negotiations said BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari played a key role in the backroom negotiations with students. At the same time, the students were given an indication that the government would not hesitate to shift the FTII from Pune or even shut it, but would not give in to their demand to remove Mr Chauhan.

While calling off the strike, student leaders said their fight would continue peacefully.

Vikas Urs, leader of the FTII Students’ Association, said: “We are calling off the strike as a collective decision in the best interests of the students and returning to academics with immediate effect. Our protest will continue peacefully.” Minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore welcomed the decision.

A senior BJP leader said on condition of anonymity that while Mr Chauhan would remain FTII chairman, three members of the governing council, including director Anagha Ghaisas, actor Rahul Solapurkar and ABVP activist Narendra Pathak, will be removed. However, Mr Pathak said he had not got any directive from the Centre to quit or resign from the governing council.

Maharashtra BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari was the only BJP leader who met the agitating students personally and opened a channel between the students and the Centre. Later he gathered support from the FTII alumni, including director Aruna Raje, film editor Jabeen Merchant, cinematographer Anil Mehta and Vijay Kumar, who convinced students to take a step back and open the channel of dialogue.

Mr Bhandari said: “Ms Merchant, who edited the movie NH10, convinced filmmaker Shyam Benegal to take a stand against the protest. Even producer-director Subhash Ghai and producer Mahesh Bhatt took a stand against the protesting students. It demoralised the students and the rift was widened.”

He went on to add that he had told the students that even if their agitation went on for a year, the government would not remove Mr Chauhan, but it could shut down FTII or shift it from Pune, that would badly hit students who want to develop a career in the film industry. “After that many students were not in favour of continuing the strike,” he said.

Mr Urs said, meanwhile, that their protests against Mr Chauhan when he assumes charge will be peaceful. “The right-wing attitude of the government is now exposed. The students will not engage proactively with the ministry till the appointments issue is resolved,” he said.

Mr Chauhan, known for his role as Yudhishthira in the TV serial Mahabharat, welcomed the students’ decision. “We all will work together and move together,” he said.

Minister of state Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said: “I am glad they are returning to their classes. The discussions on how to improve this institute will continue.” The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making FTII an institution of national importance. When asked about the threat by the FTII Students Association to continue with protests despite ending the strike, the minister said they could do so “if they strongly feel about something”.