Arvind Kejriwal to FTII students: Come to Delhi and run your classes

NEW DELHI: Protesting students of Pune's Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) found a new saviour in Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who offered them space in the capital to attend classes.

In a midnight swoop on Tuesday, police arrested five FTII students, charging them with rioting and other offences in connection with the 'gherao' of director Prashant Pathrabe.

The students, on strike for the last 69 days against appointment of BJP member and TV actor Gajendra Chauhan as the institute's chairman, had 'gheraoed' Pathrabe on Monday evening, challenging his decision to go ahead with the assessment of the incomplete diploma film projects of the 2008 batch.

Hours after the arrest, Kejriwal stepped in with his 'offer' in a series of tweets.

Am shocked to hear whats gng on at FTII. An internationally reputed institute being systematically destroyed by govt's wrong decisions(1/3)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 19, 2015

My offer to FTII students- Del govt can provide u temp space in Del. Run ur classes here till central govt agrees(2/3)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 19, 2015

If finally, central govt doesn't agree, we'll convert this place into full fledged institute n students can continue studying here only(3/3)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 19, 2015

" Delhi government can offer you space in Delhi to run your classes till the Centre agrees to your demand," the Delhi CM tweeted. "If the Centre doesn't agree, we'll create a full-fledged institute for students to continue here."

"An institute of international repute is being destroyed by Centre's wrong decisions," he tweeted.

Those arrested included the FTII Students' Association (FSA) representative Vikas Urs.

"FIRs have been filed against 15 students, out of which five have been arrested," DCP T Tushar Doshi told PTI.

The accused students have been charged under various sections of IPC including 143, 147, 149, 323, 353, 506, etc, dealing with offences, some of them being non-bailable related to unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation and rioting.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has refused to hold further dialogues with the agitating students after failure of the July 3 talks in Delhi where the demand for removal of Chauhan was cold-shouldered by the officials, who asked them to return to classes being boycotted since June 12.