Appointment of B P Singh just eyewash: FTII students

PUNE: FTII students today termed as "eyewash" the appointment of noted producer-director B P Singh as chairman of the institute's academic council and raised doubts over the government's intent on addressing their issues saying now the "question is beyond credibility and credentials".

"B P Singh would head the academic council but all decisions taken by it would have to be approved and validated by the chairman as per the FTII constitution. Hence it is just an eyewash," the FTII Students' Association (FSA) said.

It was reacting to reports that the government's decision to bring Singh, producer of popular TV serial CID, was aimed at softening the students' unrelenting opposition to appointment of TV actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of FTII.

FSA which went on a 139-day-long strike last year to oppose the "political appointment" of Chauhan has been consistently alleging that the actor lacks credibility, academic excellence and vision required for the post.

Spelling out FSA's stand after Chauhan's taking charge on the campus here was marred by strong protests by students and the police action yesterday, Yashasvi Mishra, its representative, said, "We see all the appointments as coming out of a flawed makeshift or rather non-existent process.

"With cases against students with 17 of them on bail, and atrocities by police machinery on students on various occasions, it is very clear that the government cannot deal and respect disagreement and questions... Now the question is beyond credibility and credentials, but about intent of the government," he said.

The FSA also sought to contradict Chauhan's claim that despite his willingness, the students were not inclined to meet him when he took charge yesterday.

There was no "official communication" from him indicating that he wanted a dialogue, it said.