Kolkata; November 2026: Today All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) expresses immense concern at the disturbing developments on the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI-Kolkata) campus since late September. We note with shock and alarm that the protesting students have been facing escalating threats from the institute administration and the police. We support the legitimate demands for a free and independent inquiry into the violence on 27th September; prosecution of the attackers including those who sexually harassed women and transgender students and pelted stones, recall of rustication orders, withdrawal of orders enforcing academic closure, removal of police presence on campus, a full-time Vice Chancellor for the institute and protection of the right to protest peacefully.
ALIFA in their statement has asserted that: “A film school is a place of practice and study. It is a matter of great shame that Santosh Ajmera and his administration have subjected students to extreme trauma, throughout the festive season, while operating with complete impunity. We stand in full solidarity with progressive students and faculty of SRFTI, in reclaiming their campus in true spirit of freedom and creativity. For 40 days now, the SRFTI campus has been under a siege-like situation, with increasing police presence, and academic activity suspended till 11th December, 2026. The circumstances have placed students under immense stress, with women and transgender students at the receiving end of sexual harassment and trauma. This is on top of the expulsion of six students on the 15th October, for a year, on trumped-up charges. Two contractual faculty members and six resource persons were also suspended on 5th November for the ‘crime’ of standing with their students. Over the past month, life in SRFTI has come to a grinding halt, with the administration hell-bent on treating students as criminals”.
Earlier, on 27th September this year, an event was organised by the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) in the Main Theatre, without a discussion with the student body. The usual convention has been a prior discussion with the student body, before letting the Main Theatre out for any purpose. When students protested the same, they were chased and beaten up by outsiders. Library staff and faculty members were also hurt. The attacks on the students included targeted harassment of female and transgender students, who were sexually harassed and verbally abused, including being given rape threats.
Female students report being made uncomfortable by the event organisers, even before the altercation began, including an incident where they had interrupted a shoot on campus. Furthermore, a rowdy mob had pelted stones on campus, calling students ‘terrorists’ and ‘anti-nationals’. Their ambulance was attacked. It is also painful to note that two students needed extensive plastic surgery, as a result of this mindless violence. Since then, the administration headed by Santosh Ajmera, Vice-Chancellor has taken one draconian step after the other.
On 4th October, a rally organised by the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Mancha reached the gates of the institution and injured students again by pelting stones and bottles from outside the gates. The administration failed to name the organisation in their police complaint! Between 5th – 7th October, students protesting peacefully were physically confronted by the institute’s staff and threatened with ‘career destruction’. The administration’s methods became even more heavy-handed from 12th October when the students began an indefinite sit-in demanding the removal of the Vice-Chancellor. On 15th October, the administration installed CCTVs on campus without prior intimation to the students. This happened despite a 2024 pact between the students and the administration, where the administration after a discussion with the Student Union had assured that any CCTV installation and placement will only be done after consultation with student representatives and the department concerned where the CCTV was being installed. Students have expressed extreme discomfort with the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and his subordinates having access to CCTV footage. This is especially in the light of numerous complaints lodged against the CSO by female staff in the past, which the administration had not taken any cognizance of.
Notably, the current Vice-Chancellor (VC) made an oral promise to offer 03-day’s notice to the students before the installation of any CCTV; a promise that the students have on record. This was rescinded on the grounds of the alleged vandalization of his office on 14th October, along with the manhandling of the VC. Campus security has denied the occurrence of any such vandalization to the police. The Vice-Chancellor, has also rusticated 06 (Six) students for a year, on allegations of ‘misdemeanour’ with no specific charges but identical, cyclostyled orders!
In yet another repressive measure, on the previous Thursday (05th November), even as the city was gearing up for Deepavali and Kali Puja celebrations, the administration suspended two contractual faculty members, six resource persons, who merely stood in solidarity and extended academic closure till 11th December!
The increased police surveillance on campus and outside has given rise to a siege-like situation. Students protesting peacefully have been constantly monitored and photographed. The Vice-Chancellor has hired bouncers for his ‘personal security’, who have been seen going towards the hostel premises that should be out-of-bounds for outsiders. This places students at grave personal risk on campus and hostels, which the administration seems to be oblivious to. Barricades have been set up around the campus, with police officers taking regular photographs and also entering into altercations with students. Reportedly, a young female student was also ‘grilled’ by the police for having the ‘temerity’ to step out for a cup of tea!
It is indeed tragic and unacceptable that a premier institution like the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute is being converted into a fortress and another ground for the right-wing takeover of educational and learning spaces. It has also become abundantly evident that the current VC, Santosh Ajmera, a PIB official with a history of derogatory comments towards women on X (such as actress Rani Mukherjee), is utterly incapable of managing an institute of learning and is determined to treat students as criminals, going all the way to hire personal bouncers; while neglecting the security, physical and mental health of the students, not to mention their careers and futures.
ALIFA has vouched for every possible support all the legitimate demands of the students, including:
·Fair and independent inquiry into the violence on 27th September, 2026;
·Prosecution of the attackers including those who sexually harassed women and transgender students and pelted stones;
·Fair and independent inquiry into the alleged violence on the VC on 14th October;
·Immediate recall of rustication orders of students;
·Complete recall of orders enforcing academic closure until 11th December;
·Review of CCTV cameras and hearing students’ concerns regarding the CSO’s past misconduct;
·Immediate withdrawal of suspension of two contractual faculty members and six resource persons;
·Immediate removal of the Vice-Chancellor’s personal bouncers from campus, with a review of his own conduct in putting the security of students at risk;
·A full-time competent Vice Chancellor, who truly upholds the values and spirit of SRFTI;
·Removal of police presence on campus and safeguarding the right to protest peacefully.
Team Maverick.
