[Pune,22 JULY] Government Dares FTII Agitating Students To End Stir For Talks Govt Today Made It Clear That There Will be no Talks Unless Students Withdraw the Stir.
As the strike by the students entered the 41st day today, the Film and Television Institute of India(FTII) Students’ Association (FSA) announced that they will stage a protest demonstration along with “like-minded people” in New Delhi on August 3 coinciding with the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The students, who are demanding that the appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as Chairman of FTII Governing Council be revoked, said that the message they got from the Institute authorities was that there will be no rethink on the government’s decision.
Through the demonstration, the students hope to draw the attention of MPs from various political parties towards the Government’s “insensitive” approach to their demands and seek their intervention.
Briefing the media about their interaction with the new Director of FTII Prashant Pathrabe, representatives of the FSA said the message from the Ministry conveyed to them through him was that “there will be no talks till the stir is withdrawn and also no rethink on Chauhan’s appointment”.
The message from the I&B Ministry is that “there will be no revocation of Chauhan’s appointment or reconstitution of the FTII Society (the main demands of the agitating students).
FSA spokesman Vikas Urs said, “The Government has shown complete disdain by not engaging in a meaningful dialogue with the students over their demands.”