The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Society, the topmost governing body of the FTII, had its first meeting at the campus with students protesting against FTII chairman Gajendra Chauhan, who was attending the first meeting here after his appointment on June 9, 2014.
Chauhan reached the campus at 11.30 am amid loud protests by students and scuffles with police that led to detention of 26 students.
There was heavy police presence on the campus, including a riot control team and the State Reserve Police Force. Many scuffles broke out between the police and the students. Police also resorted to force to control and disperse students. As many as 26 students were detained at 10 am and let off at 7 pm.
The students had put up fresh protest graffiti and banners against the government for ‘failing to listen to the voice of the people’. A group of about 80 students were protesting outside the Main Theatre holding the placards when the staff association got a troupe of drummers to welcome Chauhan. This led to a confrontation between the two and the police rounded up the students and hauled them into police vans.
Chauhan and newly formed governing council also held meetings with the representatives of the staff association and teachers’ association.
The society held the meeting to form the governing council and academic council, the body which makes all academic decisions.
The society nominated television producer and FTII alumnus B P Singh as vice-president of the governing council and president of the academic council.
Film director Rajkumar Hirani, actor Satish Shah, ABVP leader Narendra Pathak, actor Rahul Solapurkar, documentary maker Anagha Ghaisas, cinematographer Shailesh Gupta, Pranjal Saikia, journalist Bhawana Somaaya, additional secretary & financial advisor Subhash Sharma, National Film Archive director Prakash Magdum and FTII director Prashant Pathrabe attended the first meeting.
