Kolkata: SRFTI has suspended all regular academic activities for the Film and the Electronic and Digital Media (EDM) Wings until Nov 13. On Friday, the institute ordered all students to vacate hostels and campus premises within 24 hours and suspended hostel mess services. The order also warns of disciplinary or legal action for any violations.The official order issued on behalf of the vice chancellor Santosh Ajmera stated that the measures were taken in “view of the ensuing festive period”, “associated administrative requirements” and “in the interest of the orderly functioning of the institute”.“Such a notice has never been sent in the history of SRFTI. People across India live here and study and they are asked to leave campus within 24 hours,” a student said.“They have given us only 24 hours to vacate the campus and the notice is dated Thursday, no student has received it officially on his/her email ID.”The scheduled Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme shall continue as scheduled, subject to specific instructions issued by the institute from time to time. Sukanta Majumdar, the institute’s Dean (IC), said: “This is a much-needed break. We hope we will all return to campus and work properly after the break.”On Friday, students held a news conference where they alleged that the institute failed to take any action on an Oct 9 complaint of a female staff member, how a student attacked on Sept 27 was issued a disciplinary notice and why shuttle bus services were stopped abruptly without any consultation with female students.A rusticated student — Aaron P Joy — expressed solidarity with anti-fascist voices globally and in Delhi. Emphasising that the entire student community — rather than just a few individuals — is fighting, the student clarified that the union has no mainstream political affiliation. “I allege that Ajmera was appointed by RSS to dismantle the peaceful environment in SRFTI,” he said.Appu Soman, another student who has received a rustication notice, was introduced as a student whose short animation film — “Da’Lit Kids” — “was banned before the institute banned him”. Soman alleged that the “faculty and administration” has been against his “Dalit identity”. “They banned my film. It has been 45 days since I applied for a censor certificate but the Film Research Officer (FRO) has not replied to me yet,” he said.Majumdar rejected his allegations. “No one in the faculty ever targets students on the basis of their caste. Some of the staff and faculty were present when VC’s manhandling happened. Our recommendations were not based on any prejudice but on facts. We have given a bracket period of two semesters for rustication. Obviously, if a student has one semester left, he will only be there for one,” he said.Ajmera said: “SRFTI is an educational institution that promotes creativity, artistic values and individual talent.” He added that disciplinary action was taken on the recommendations of the Dean’s Council, based strictly on the facts of the matter.“The inquiry will reveal details of what happened. The institution already has the video footage and photographs of the incidents. While I am highly empathetic to all students who want to pursue their education, instances of vandalism, hooliganism, violence or intimidation of any kind are non-negotiable in an institution of repute,” he added.Anirban Datta, who is the former head of the scriptwriting and direction department of SRFTI and also vice president of the alumni association, told TOI that the institute is “trying to make a scapegoat out of some students netas and trying to move the attention away from the real concerns of students’ safety which the top administration miserably failed to provide”.
