A day after the Ram temple in Ayodhya was consecrated, a Hindu right-wing group entered the campus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune and attacked students who were protesting against the construction of the temple. The attack took place on Tuesday, January 23, and visuals that emerged from the campus show men in saffron scarves physically assaulting students and setting fire to banners including a large one that said: “Remember Babri, death of Constitution”.
Students also alleged that though the police arrived on campus during the attack, they did not arrest the mob, and that the institute’s own security personnel failed to intervene. According to a press statement by FTII’s student body, at least four students have sustained grievous injuries.
Visuals of the attack show the vandalising mob chanting “Jai Shree Ram” as they destroy the protest material. In one video, a section of the mob can be seen smashing, kicking, and breaking a large board. As the camera follows them into the crowd, men in khaki uniforms can be seen trying to intervene when the mob is assaulting students. The charred remains of placards and banners can also be seen amid clouds of smoke.
In another video, several men from the mob are seen holding a large cloth banner that says ‘Remember Babri, Death of Constitution’. They can then be seen setting fire to the banner while chanting “Jai Shree Ram”.
A press statement released by FTII Students Association (FTIISA) regarding the attack says, “A mob of 20 to 25 agitated people entered the campus around 1:30 pm. There was a conflict between the miscreants and the security as they wanted to enter the campus. A few students concerned about the conflict started enquiring. Upon enquiring with the security guards, the miscreants started sloganeering ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and hurled abuses at the students. As Mankap Nokwoham (President, FTIISA) was walking towards the main gate, the mob started chanting loudly. The mob charged at Mankap and the security guards failed to stop the mob. Mankap was violently attacked and brutally beaten, his T-shirt was torn in the assault, and sustained severe, multiple bruises.”
The statement goes on to further say that: “The mob continued to charge inside the campus premises and reached Wisdom Tree. They started sloganeering “Jai Shree Ram” and more guards entered to stop them. The mob let loose and pulled down the banner that students had put up. They started vandalising the installations and the property of FTII kept at the Wisdom Tree and burnt down the banner. Amidst all this, Sayantan(General Secretary, FTIl) questioned the security head about the ongoing assault. Later he was also beaten and violently attacked by the mob.”
The press release also says that a similar mob chanting Jai Shree Ram had already created a ruckus on January 21 outside the institute’s gates and had threatened students with sticks saying that they would return with more men. According to the students, FTII’s security officer Sanjay Jadhav, and the registrar Prateek Jain had been informed about this previous incident but had allegedly taken no action.
In the press statement, FTIISA also says, “Innocent students were grievously attacked by these goons who barged into our campus while the security and staff were mere spectators. It is a blatant attack on the fundamental right to life of the students and a grave failure of law and order. FTII Students Association strongly stands against such a dire attack on our democratic rights as well as the lives of students.”
Actor R Madhavan who was appointed as the President of FTII in September last year, is yet to publicly react on the incident.