The agitating Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students called off their hunger strike on Sunday, after the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry invited them for talks in Mumbai on September 29.
The development came on a day when the agitation by the FTII students over the controversial appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as the Governing council chairman of the FTII entered 108th day.
The students were on hunger strike for the past 18 days. “The hunger strike has now been called off, but the strike of the FTII students still as of now, continues,” the agitating students’ association said in a statement issued in the evening.
Announcing its decision to call off the hunger strike, the FTII students’ association stated, “Today morning, we received an official communication via email from the Joint Secretary with confirmation of the meeting with the Ministry officials on the September 29, 2015 at the Films Division in Mumbai at 11:00 am.
As per our previous communication to the ministry, as well as the media, the hunger strike was called off some time later. The students of the FTII were happy to see a prompt response to their request for confirmation of the modalities of the meeting and will now approach this dialogue with a view to finding solutions with the ministry to resolve this crisis as soon as possible,” the association stated in a news release.
In a communication sent to Mr Nachimuthu of the FTII students’ association, K Sanjay Murthy, Joint Secretary (Films), I&B Ministry, confirmed the date of meeting with the students representatives at the Films Division in Mumbai on September 9.
“This is a position different from the one communicated earlier on 22.09.2015 wherein the inability of withdrawing the hunger strike was communicated. The said meeting is scheduled on 29.09.2015 at 11 AM in Films Division office in Mumbai and look forward to the meeting,” Murthy stated, as he asked the association to identify five students who will be representing the association at the meeting.
The students have been boycotting classes since June 12, in protest against the appointment of Chauhan on the ground that the latter was political appointee and he lacked credentials to head a prestigious institution like the FTII.
However, the visiting team of I&B officials, who visited the FTII campus on August 21, placated the agitating students and set the tone for negotiations with the Government representatives.