A fresh round of talks between Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials and agitating FTII students to break the impasse over appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan as the Pune-based institute’s Chairman, are underway on Saturday at the Films Division office in Mumbai.
I&B Ministry Secretary Sunil Arora is presiding over the discussions, while others members are Joint Secretary K Sanjay Murthy, and Prashant Patharbe director of FTII.
The IB officials are currently engaged in a dialogue with seven FTII students including FTII Student Association (FSA) president Harishankar Nachimuthu.
This is the fourth time that the two sides are sitting together in Mumbai after the students and the Ministry decided to renew their dialogue to resolve the over 100-day deadlock.
Three rounds of talks held so far ——the last one being on October 7——have remained inconclusive.
However, last time both sides had decided to take forward the talks and agreed to meet again on Saturday.
“Off course, we want to end this stalemate but we also want that our genuine demands must be fulfilled. We are going to meet the officers with an open heart and mind,” said one of the seven FTII students——who is part of the dialogue with I&B Ministry officials—— prior to the meeting on Saturday.
Earlier, Vikas Urs, the spokesperson for FTII students had said that when both the sides would be meeting on Saturday, the two major demands would be the same —— to disband (the institute’s) society and remove Chauhan as Chairman of the institute.
While the students, who have been boycotting classes since June 12, are sticking to their demand for Chauhan’s ouster, the ministry has firmly backed his appointment.
An I&B Ministry—appointed committee had visited FTII’s Pune campus on August 21 and held discussions with students, faculty members and the alumni association.
The agitating students had called off their 18-day-old relay hunger strike on September 27.
FTII Limbo
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Gajendra Chauhan, an actor-turned-politician, was appointed as the chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) on June 9, 2015. His appointment triggered an >indefinite strike by students of the institute on June 12.
Who is Chauhan?
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Mr. Chauhan is best known as 'Yudhisthira' in the Mahabharata TV series aired on television in 1988-90. He has been associated with BJP for over two decades but formally joined the party in 2004.
Why protest?
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Students of FTII have questioned Mr. Chauhan's body of work and "creative credentials." The students doubt if Mr. Chauhan can fit in the shoes of predecessors like R.K. Laxman, Syam Benegal, Girish Karnad and U.R. Ananthamurthy.
Political vendetta?
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Students claim that Mr. Chauhan's appointment is an attempt of the ruling party to foist its right-wing agenda upon the Institute.
Supporters
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Besides, prominent film personalities, All India Students' Association (AISA), the Kolkata-based Satyajit Ray Film Institute, and students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) are all coming out strongly in support of the striking students.
If they don't want you, they don't want you. Pushing for the chairmanship is getting you no where. Let self pride play a role and retire
- >Rishi Kapoor
FTII needs to be in safe hands. Students need somebody who they can trust and look up to. It's their future which is at stake here.
>- Rajkumar Rao
This is something we should be talking about and by this we will clearly know that it is a mistake and that he has no credentials...If I would have been in place of Chauhan and I would have seen that my fraternity does not want me, I would have withdrawn.
>- Amol Palekar
Don't think what the students are asking for is illogical, don't think they are asking for the moon. They are just asking for a fair chance, a fair opportunity, correct faculty, correct syllabus.
- Ranbir Kapoor
I have neither been approached by students nor by authorities. But being an alumnus of this institute to which I owe my film career, I am more than willing to step in and sort out matters if given the chance to do so.
- >Shatrughan Sinha
Prominent chairmen
Anwar Jamal Kidwai (1974 - 1977)
First chairman, founder of Mass Communication Research centre at Jamia Millia Islamia.
>R.K. Laxman (1977- 1980)
Legendary cartoonist, Padma Bhushan, Vibhushan. Known for creating the character "Common Man".
> Shyam Benegal (1981 - 1983) (1989 - 1992)
Known for pioneering parallel cinema. Recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award among others.
> Mahesh Bhatt (1995- 1998)
Award-winning director, screenwriter, producer in mainstream Hindi cinema.
>U.R. Ananthamurthy (2005-2008) (2008-2011)
Eminent author, Padma Bhushan. Pioneered Navya movement in Kannada language.