Congress comes out in support of FTII students

MUMBAI: The Congress in Maharashtra has come all out in support of the students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) who have been arrested by the Pune Police early on Wednesday. Former Chief Ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan along with activists of the Congress student wing, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) have gheraoed Mantralaya to protest against the arrest of the FTII students.

Five FTII students were arrested on Wedneday 1.30am for allegedly destroying public property and obstructing a government servant from performing his duty among other sections like rioting, unlawful assembly, wrongful restraint and voluntarily causing hurt. The Pune police acted on the basis of a complaint filed by FTTI Director Prashant Pathrabe. Pathrabe filed the complaint after he was allegedly gheraoed by the agitating students.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has already extended support to the agitating students when he visited them in Pune recently. Meanwhile the five arrested students will be produced in a Pune court after 3pm. The police are planning to ask for two days police custody. The students have engaged the services of lawyer Asim Sarode who is going to argue on their behalf. Meanwhile the other 10 to 12 students who the police also want to arrest are likely to surrender before the court or seek an anticipatory bail said students.

The FTII students have been agitating against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as FTII Chairman, the students have been on strike for more than two months now.