Pune: At least 20 students from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) were arrested for protesting against their new chairman Gajendra Chauhan outside their campus today.
Chauhan's appointment was followed by a series of protests by students and celebrated alumni of the Pune-based premier film institute.The police served notices to 17 FTII students and warned them from disrupting law and order situation when Gajendra Chauhan took charge as the chairman of the institute on Thursday. But the students still protested against him outside the campus.
Chauhan was appointed as FTII chairman on June 9, 2015. He is renowned for playing the role of 'Yudhishthira' in BR Chopra's "Mahabharata" and also for doing cameos in movies like "Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge" and "Baghban".
There was an indefinite strike by the students on June 12 which was withdrawn on October after 139 days. The students questioned his professional credibility to lead the institute due to lack of "stature" and "vision".
Chauhan's first FTII society meeting is scheduled on Thursday. Chauhan is joining office after seven months of his appointment.
"This is confirmed that he (Chauhan) is coming but we have not got any official notice. Students will protest at the campus but other things are yet not decided", FTII Students' Association president Harishankar Nachimuthu told reporters on Wednesday.
Chauhan said he is not pestered by the protests but rather it is about fulfilling the responsibility.
"I received the orders from government and I will do my job accordingly. Let me go there and see. I can't say what they will do but I am ready to fulfill my duty."(Picture Courtesy:tehelka.com)(IANS)