VIOLENT CLASHES ERUPTED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2026, at the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, between the students of SRFTI, and the members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP), adding to another instance of severe tension in an educational institute in Bengal after the incident at Jadavpur University last month. The tension erupted in relation to a program being organized by the ABGP at the SRFTI campus on Sunday, September 27, which was being opposed by the students of SRFTI. The organizers allegedly made ‘anti-student’ remarks, leading to a clash between the two, the students said.
The students objected to the program organized by the right-wing group, citing ABGP’s relation to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS), with the confrontation turning violent as police were deployed in the campus.
The SRFTI, is the second national centre for cinema education in India, established in 1995 by the government of India. The Students’ union of SRFTI said that upon opposing the program organized by the right-wing group, ABGP, they were assaulted and called “anti-nationals”, “urban naxals”, terrorists, leading to a major strife between the two groups.
“Today an RSS-backed organization called AKhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, was holding an event in the main theatre of SRFTI without the knowledge of the students and the union. So, when the students got to know of this event, the union went on to put up posters and began to question the campus authority. However, things escalated pretty quickly, when people from ABGP started attacking the students,” said Navoleena, a student at the SRFTI.
Videos and photos have made its round in social media showing the scuffle between the two groups, with some students being injured. A massive panic spread among the students, when they allegedly saw people gathering outside the campus gate. “A lot of students did not know about the incident. Some were engaged in their shooting work. These people (ABGP) even disrupted those. They were beating the students and attacking them relentlessly. However, as the students began to gather in the campus, the ABGP was finally forced to end their program and leave the campus premises,” Navoleena added.
As the clashes spread, the police were deployed in the campus, with students alleging their late arrival. “The police came later. But even after being deployed to ensure the things are under control, they (police) began to listen to the ABGP members. In the meantime, a lot of right-wing groups gathered outside the campus, and tried to break in through the gate. They were throwing bottles, stones and even gave rape threats to the students,” the SRFTI student said.
NewsGram also reached out to the representatives of the ABGP. We spoke to the Central Committee member, and Head of Communications, Vijay Sagar. We tried to reach out to the members present at the SRFTI event, but could not get through.
Upon asking ABGP about the event and its whereabouts, they mentioned that they were organizing a training program for its volunteers and members. “ABGP is organizing its training programs across different states in the country to celebrate its 52 years of establishment. The main goal of our organization is to protect the interests of the consumers in India, in light of the Consumers Protection Act, and importantly, free of cost. Everyone is a consumer, be it hindus, christians, muslims or any other members of any other community. Our goal is to protect the interests of the consumers. So, in order to facilitate our training program for our volunteers and members, we had booked a hall at the SRFTI campus by paying the hall-booking charges,” Vijay Sagar said to NewsGram.
When asked about the confrontation at the SRFTI campus, Vijay Sagar said, “Students of the campus began to cite us as right-wing, and tore off our posters. They began to say, ‘how did the right-wing people come inside our campus?’ But we had booked the hall after paying the hall-fees and the official booking confirmation from the institute. They began to say that this is a political event. We are not a political event. We work for the interests of the consumers, and speak against every political party. We are ideologically right-wing, because we believe in ‘Bharat,’ and there is no point in hiding that.”
Videos, news reports and social media clips began to circulate, and we could witness several students were badly hurt. In a video, one student was seen with an injury to his head, being treated by other fellow mates, while the rage continued outside the campus gates. While detailing the event and the scuffle, the representative of the ABGP did not speak much on the details of violence. “ Our karyakartas (workers) are also injured. Four of our members are hospitalized at the moment,” said Vijay Sagar.
The Students’ union also released an official statement alleging the ABGP’s attack on the students in the campus. "When the students began to question the institute's decision, and began to put up posters at the main theatre, the members of the ABGP confronted students and attempted to remove them from the theatre. The situation then escalated into physical violence against the students. Students were verbally abused, including being called 'anti-nations' and cockroaches. Members of the group then physically attacked the students, including women students, punched and kicked them, and pelted stones, including those who were not part of the protest and were simply doing their academic work."
The incident has raised an alarming concern over the safety in college campuses across the country, particularly in Bengal. The instance of such a violence in Kolkata arrives just after a month of the incident at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, where the clash between the right-wing groups and the students led to a huge uproar.
Students, alumni and professors of Jadavpur University took to the streets, then, protesting against the damage to the University's official logo by the right-wing groups, designed by famous Indian artist, Nandalal Bose.
Suggested Reading:
Subscribe to our channels on YouTube and WhatsApp
Download our app on Play Store