Filmmakers, artistes, Left leaders rally behind SRFTI students after campus violence

On a Tuesday, a diverse group of individuals, including filmmakers, artists, Left leaders, and university students from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), came together to show support for students who had been protesting the violence that occurred on the campus the previous Sunday. The students displayed banners with messages like "Stop saffron terror in educational institutions" and "No stone can break our will," alongside pictures of renowned figures such as Satyajit Ray and Swami Vivekananda.

Blossom Hazarika, the president of the SRFTI students' union, expressed that the past two days had been particularly stressful for them, with many still recovering from the trauma experienced during the protests.

A student attending the rally noted that many should have been working on their assignments and assignments instead of participating in the protests. They emphasized that first-year students were not provided with hostel accommodations and had to stay outside the campus. One of their main demands was for the provision of hostels, but their primary concern was the safety and security of students.

Professor Manas Ghosh, from Jadavpur University's film studies department, stated that their solidarity with the protesting students was "unconditional." He alleged that there was a pattern of attacks on educational institutions by "saffron goons." Ghosh expressed their commitment to uphold democratic and constitutional values, promising to defend the rights of common people.

SFI West Bengal Secretary Debanjan Dey accused the RSS and BJP of targeting campuses and suggested that attacks on educational institutions were part of a "systematic terror" in Bengal. He questioned the circumstances surrounding the permission granted to an outside organization to hold a program inside the SRFTI campus on a Sunday and sought answers regarding who gave permission and how the crowd entered the premises.

Actor and filmmaker Chaiti Ghoshal expressed surprise at the incident, emphasizing that the presence of politically affiliated groups inside an educational institution was concerning. She noted that students come from all over the country to study and questioned who were the individuals who used abusive language and threatened the students. Despite the fear, Chaiti Ghoshal reaffirmed her commitment to stand by the students whenever they face such attacks.

Prakriti Sahu of the Cockroach Janatha Party highlighted the targeting of educational institutions and raised concerns about freedom of speech. She stressed the importance of unity to prevent such attacks on educational institutions. The rally was organized by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat Paschim Banga Pranta after they rented an auditorium inside SRFTI.

The violence between the organizers and students resulted in injuries on both sides, leading to three FIRs being filed. Students have been boycotting classes and demanding increased security.