SRFTI Students Continue Class Boycott for 11th Day Over Campus Security Concerns

Students at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) continued their class boycott for the 11th day on Saturday, demanding improved campus security following a series of clashes and confrontations involving right-wing organisations.

The boycott began on September 27 after a programme organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP), a consumer awareness group affiliated with the RSS, at an auditorium on the campus was opposed by students. The ensuing clash left several people, including two faculty members, injured.

Tensions escalated on October 4 when members of the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Manch held a rally outside the institute's main gate and allegedly assaulted students heading to the campus.

Student union spokesperson Sudip Chakraborty said the boycott would continue until the administration provided assurances of safety. He alleged that students had faced attacks and intimidation from right-wing groups and some institute staff and security personnel.

"Students only want security on campus in the wake of repeated incursions by the RSS and its allies up to the campus gate," Chakraborty said. He added that the students' union would convene a general body meeting within the next two to three days to decide its future course of action. He also alleged that Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera had not been visiting the institute.

Around 150 students from outside West Bengal were feeling threatened, Chakraborty claimed, highlighting concerns among students who come from different parts of the country. An institute official said classes remained suspended on Saturday, while many students had left their hostels ahead of the Durga Puja holidays. The official added that first-year students' classes were still pending.

In a statement issued on October 5, the institute expressed deep concern over the incidents and reiterated its commitment to student safety. Ajmera could not be reached for comment despite attempts. The continuing agitation has raised concerns over academic activities at the film institute as the festive vacation approaches.