FTII stalemate continues over a fortnight on

Deadlock over the appointment of TV actor and Bharatiya Janata Party member Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India's governing council entered the sixteenth day on Saturday as students of the prestigious institute continued with their strike.

"We have not received any official communication as yet from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, which has called for a dialogue with the students to sort out the controversial issues and restore normalcy on the campus," a spokesman of the FTII Students' Association told PTI in Pune on Saturday.

The agitating students have alleged that Chauhan lacked "stature and vision" to head the premiere institution and his appointment was "politically coloured" in view of his association with the ruling BJP.

Apart from Chauhan, the FSA has also objected to the appointments of five members of the FTII Society selected under the "persons of eminence" category for their alleged Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and BJP connections and "lack of merit" in the field of cinema.

While issuing an appeal to the students a week back to restore normalcy on the campus, the I&B ministry communication had also expressed willingness to discuss all relevant issues leading to the strike.

The FSA subsequently sought an appointment date with the ministry to which no response has yet been received, the spokesman said, adding, that the association was still deliberating on the composition of its delegation -- expected to include both current and past students -- to hold talks with the government authorities.

Meanwhile, the strike continued with the students boycotting classes, displaying and painting new protest posters condemning Chauhan's appointment and mobilising support of like-minded associations across the universities in the country.