Mumbai: Naseeruddin Shah has come out in support of students protesting at Kolkata’s Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, or SRFTI, accusing the BJP of targeting them for questioning the institute’s administration.
The students have been holding an indefinite sit-in outside vice-chancellor Santosh Ajmera’s office since 12 October. They want him to resign, alleging that the institute failed to protect them during two incidents of violence on campus and has instead taken action against the students.
In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday, Shah called the BJP “the bloody jhooti party”. He accused it of taking revenge on people who did not agree with its beliefs and policies, following what he called its “manipulative victory” in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Shah said the students had been served show-cause notices, put under surveillance, threatened, and asked to leave their hostels, all for demanding answers from the administration.
He accused the BJP of trying to “brainwash or frighten the future filmmakers of this country”.
“I can promise you that is not going to happen,” he said, urging people to support the students.
The protests began after a clash on 27 September between students and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, an RSS-affiliated group that was holding an event at the institute. Students accused members of the group of attacking them.
On 4 October, there was another confrontation when members of the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Mancha gathered outside SRFTI. Some tried to force open the institute’s gate after police stopped them from entering.
The administration rusticated six students on 15 October, accusing them of assaulting Ajmera and staff members and vandalising his office. The students’ union has denied the allegations.
SRFTI also suspended classes until 13 November and told students living on campus to vacate their hostels. The students have refused to end their protest.
Ajmera, meanwhile, has accused the protesting students of vandalism. He told The Telegraph on Friday that classes could resume once the students stopped damaging property. He also accused them of trying to take control of the institute.
Filmmaker Payal Kapadia has also backed the students. She said she was “absolutely horrified” that students were facing disciplinary action while, according to her, no action had been taken against those accused of assaulting students and groping women on campus.
Kapadia asked the administration to take action against those responsible for the violence rather than punish students for demanding answers.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)