GAJENDRA CHAUHAN TAKES CHARGE AT FTII AMIDST STUDENTS’ PROTESTS

High tension drama unfolded at the FTII campus on Thursday as Gajendra Chauhan took charge of his chairmanship. While students had promised a silent protest, the day took a nasty turn on campus when a dhol tasha group called by the Staff Association, started playing on campus. It was a scene straight out of a revolutionary film when the cops detained 40 students who were sloganeering in front of the gate.ROUND 1: A FACE OFF BETWEEN THE COPS AND STUDENTS

The beats of the dhol tasha group which was called to welcome Chauhan provoked the students, who walked towards the gate shouting slogans and carrying placards.The heavily deployed cops then took charge of the situation and detained 40 students. Ajayan Adat, a student who was detained, said, “We were not allowed to go inside the campus. It is a working day on campus. A friend’s shooting has also been scheduled and we were part of a discussion when the cops roughed us up and bundled us in the police van.“ Adat, along with the president of the Students’ Association, Harishankar Nachimuthu, were also hurt in the entire process.Nachimuthu said, “Our brothers were detained without any reason. We were sloganeering to make ourselves heard over the beats of the dhol tasha group. The cops came out of nowhere, pushed and shoved the girl students and took us in the van. I was trying to go in voluntarily , but they ensured that I was pushed and hurt in the whole process.“

ROUND 2: CLASH BETWEEN THE STAFF ASSOCIATION AND THE STUDENT COMMITTEE

An agitated Priyankar, a protesting student, said, “The Staff Association has shown its true colours today . While the students were getting arrested, they were busy clapping to the beats of the dhol tasha group. It is appaling to see how they had prepared to welcome Chauhan.“ A staff, on condition of anonymity , shared, “We want to welcome Mr Chauhan. It is our choice.When the students were protesting, we did not interfere. Why did they have to create a scene today?“

ROUND 3: CHAUHAN ARRIVES

Gajendra Chauhan, dressed in a Nehru jacket, arrived on campus at around noon.He was preceded by other society members, including Rajkumar Hirani, Rahul Solapurkar, Narendra Pathak, Anjum Rajabali and Prashant Pathrabe. Though the dhol tasha group had left by the time Chauhan arrived, he was welcomed to massive sloganeering by the students.

FRENCH STUDENTS REACT TO THE DRAMA ON CAMPUS

A group of French students who were present on campus as a part of the exchange programme from the institute La Femis, Paris, was shocked at the turn of events.Camille Bodin, a student, said, “The protests by students was quite peaceful at the campus. It is sad how they have been dealt with by the Indian cops.“

Pauline Thomas, another student, added, “The political government cannot contribute to the educational field of a country . Politics and education cannot be mixed. This is the young generation and students need to rebel for such causes,“

TO-DO LIST OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL

Gajendra Chauhan to take charge.

The Governing Council will be formed.

A chairman of the Academic Council to be elected.

A standing Finance Committee will pass the budget and audit reports of the past two years.

Gajendra Chauhan takes charge as FTII chairman, protests begin

More than 20 Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students were today detained by the Pune police after they staged a protest against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of Film and Television Institute of India.

New Delhi, January 7, 2016 | Edit

Gajendra Chauhan

Amidst massive protests and detentions, actor Gajendra Chauhan took charge as the Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) today. Chauhan presided over his first meeting with other members of the governing body.

To ensure the meeting went smooth, police forces were deployed in the campus. The cops prohibited any student movement close to the television wing, where the meeting took place, in the college premises.

More than 20 FTII students were detained after they staged a protest outside the campus, against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan, before the meeting.

To protest against the contentious appointment of Chauhan and five others, several students gathered outside the college premises to prevent the entry of the newly elected committee. Despite being warned of consequences before hand, students were seen protesting and shouting slogans against the chairman.

Following the commotion, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the agitating crowd. Several protesters were also pushed inside vans and taken to the police station.

The students alleged that they were not allowed to enter the institute’s premises and were heckled by the police instead.

Vikas Urr, a senior student, told India Today, “It is a shameful incident. Despite knowing that students were protesting peacefully, police forcefully cordoned off the area and pushed the students inside the vans. I was handcuffed by the deputy commissioner of police. We were treated like criminals.”

“This is our home. We stay here. We cannot accept Chauhan as FTII chairman. Ill-treating us will only intensify our protests. We will continue to protest,” he added.

Students Vikas Urs and Rakesh Shukla also questioned the officer incharge, DCP Tushar Doshi, on what basis were they denied movement in the area close to where the meeting took place.

However, police officials said that they were only adopting precautionary measures to maintain law and order in the institute.

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