The Bombay high court on Monday issued notices to the Union Information and Broadcasting, home ministry, government of Maharashtra and Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Students Association on public interest litigation seeking court’s involvement to put an end to the ongoing strike at the Pune-based film institute.
The court issued the notices while hearing a PIL filed by Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Dhanda who has also requested the court to direct the Central government to adopt a transparent policy, while appointing chairpersons of such institutions.
Students have been protesting since the Union government appointed actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of the Pune-based institution. The students are demanding that a more experienced and talented person from the industry be appointed as the head of FTII so that they can benefit from his teaching. The division bench headed by Justice V.M. Kanade was hearing the PIL, which has prayed that the Central government be directed to end the ongoing crisis at FTII.
The students have been boycotting classes since June 12 opposing appointment of Chauhan, who they claim lacks credentials to head FTII. According to the petitioner, some of the students want to attend classes but they are being prevented from doing so. He has sought police protection for students who want to attend classes. He pointed out that 18 students were ready to attend the classes immediately, provided police protection was given to them.
The petitioner has claimed that the present crisis is disturbing the nation and the education system.
However, the judges said that they would consider this only after the petitioner had served all the respondents and after all the parties were heard in the matter. The court has asked all the parties to respond to the petition in two weeks’ time.
