students demand security, continue academic boycott
Kolkata: Police maintained a vigil at the gate of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, on Monday, October 5, as students continued their academic boycott, demanding security following a protest by members of the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Mancha on the campus a day earlier.
SRFTI Students’ Union general secretary Nachiket told news agency PTI that the class boycott would continue until the students were assured of their security and “such attacks by RSS-aided outfits” did not recur.
He said the union had also demanded the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera and Registrar Deepak Kumar “if they failed to stop attacks by RSS allies on the premier film institute, threatening and intimidating students and curbing the cultural, liberal and progressive space prevailing on the campus of a film and TV institute.”
The demonstration by the Manch was staged in protest against the September 27 clash on the campus between a section of students and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP), an RSS-affiliated consumer awareness group.
In a statement issued on Monday, SRFTI said it “remains deeply concerned about the incidents that occurred on Sunday (October 4) and reiterates its commitment to ensuring the safety, security and well-being of its students.”
Regarding the sequence of events on October 4, the institute said a group of people from outside the campus gathered near its main gate and “created disturbances, which disrupted the security environment of the institute.”
“A formal complaint regarding the incident has been filed with the authorities. The timely intervention of police helped disperse the gathering. The institute unequivocally condemns any act of violence, intimidation or attempt to unlawfully enter the campus. SRFTI is working in coordination with the local authorities and extending full cooperation to ensure that peace and order are maintained in and around the institute,” it said.
The institute said it was taking necessary measures to further strengthen security at the campus gates and along the campus perimeter.
The vice-chancellor said, “SRFTI is a national institution dedicated to education in cinema and television. It brings together students from across India, representing diverse regions, languages, cultures and lived experiences. This diversity has been one of the institute’s greatest strengths and an essential part of its creative identity. The events of the past few days have been deeply concerning.”
“We are ensuring full support to the students who have been injured and are taking every necessary measure to safeguard our students and enable them to continue their academic and creative work,” he said.
The institute is maintaining regular communication with students and addressing their concerns. It reiterates that students should be able to attend classes and pursue their academic and creative work without fear, he added.
Meanwhile, posters reading “No saffron terrorism on educational institution campus” and “down with BJP, down with BJP Hindurashtra” were put up near the main gate.
Security guards outsourced by the institute did not allow media personnel to enter the campus beyond the gate.
A fourth-year student, who did not want to be named, said, “We are deeply concerned about repeated marches by RSS-linked outfits to our institute, which is a premier one in the country and named after Bengal’s film legend Satyajit Ray. I was on the campus last evening and, along with others, saw students and faculty being subjected to throwing of missiles and bricks.”
“We will continue the boycott till police take demonstrative steps to stop such attacks,” the student, who is from outside the state, said.
Students of SRFTI have maintained their “academic boycott” since September 28, resulting in suspension of classes for the eighth consecutive day.
They have been demanding the arrest of those responsible for the clash on the campus and adequate security for students.
Violence had first broken out between students and members of the ABGP on September 27 during a programme by the consumer awareness group.
This post was last modified on October 5, 2026 7:08 pm