Pune, Jan. 23: A Hindutva group forcefully entered the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) here Tuesday, burning posters and banners related to Babri Masjid displayed on the campus.
A viral video shows Hindutva group entering the campus, shouting “Jai Shri Ram”, burning a banner reading “Remember Babri, death of Constitution,” and destroying boards featuring photos commemorating the Babri Masjid event.
The men reportedly targeted FTII Student Union President Mankap Nokwoham, General Secretary Sayantan Chakrabarty, and two others, including a female student, who have been hospitalized.
The Deccan Gymkhana police stated, “Some members of various right-wing outfits entered the FTII campus on Tuesday afternoon, took down the banner, and set it on fire while chanting slogans. At this point, a clash broke out between the members of the right-wing outfits and a group of FTII students.”
Following the incident, Nokwoham issued a statement, saying FTII students vehemently condemn “the Government of India’s recent declaration of a half-day holiday on January 22.”
“This audacious move not only casts a shadow of doubt upon the cherished notion of secularism embedded in our Constitution but also callously overlooks the bloodshed that stained the very land during the infamous demolition of Babri Masjid.
“The odious timing of this half-day holiday, conveniently preceding elections, reeks of a premeditated ploy by the ruling BJP government to sow seeds of communal discord under the guise of religious celebration. It is an unequivocal attempt to polarize the country along religious lines, an affront to the principles of a truly secular and democratic India.
“We strongly believe that the state should never be tainted with the hues of religious bias. The government’s directive is perceived as a forceful imposition of its machinery to disseminate divisive ideologies through religious channels. This audacious saffronization is deemed a heinous threat to the very essence of the country’s secularism and democracy.”
Meanwhile, the Students Islamic Organization of India (SIO) South Maharashtra condemned the attack through a poster, demanding campus protection and strict action against the culprits. The poster labelled the entry of Hindutva goons into FTII campus, attacking students and vandalizing banners as a shameful attack on democracy and freedom of expression. The SIO called for the protection of campuses from such fanatic elements.
