Over 300 FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) alumni have penned an open letter expressing solidarity with the institute’s students following an attack by Hindutva mob, who targeted them for displaying a banner condemning the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid.
The letter, which was released on Friday, has been signed by former students of FTII including Oscar-winner Resul Pookutty, veteran director Saeed Mirza, filmmakers Prateek Vats, Payal Kapadia, Umesh Kulkarni, sound designer Bishwadeep Chatterjee, film editor Irene Dhar Malik, and actor Shardul Bhardwaj.
“It is painful to see the students of this great film school being assaulted with impunity. We, as a community of film professionals, educators, and artists of both national and international acclaim, extend our support to the FTII student community at this tough and testing moment,” read the letter.
The incident at the premier film institute in the country occurred on Tuesday, 23 January, a day after the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple. The temple now stands where Babri Masjid, which was demolished by Hindu nationalists in 1992, previously stood.
Over a dozen Hindutva men barged into the campus by overpowering security personnel, and brutally assaulted students while shouting Jai Shri Ram. They also tore up and burned a banner put up by the FTII Students Association (FSA) which read: “Remember Babri, Death of Constitution.”
The assailants targeted FTIISA president Mankap Nokwoham, general secretary Sayantan Chakrabarty, and two other students including a female student.
The alumni group said they “unequivocally condemn” the violence perpetrated on the students of the film institute.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here .