Saffronisation of FTII: Students oppose BJP appointee Gajendra Chauhan
Oppose BJP agenda of saffronisation of educational institutions.
AISA Stands in solidarity with the students of FTII in their strike against appointment of BJP man Gajendra Chauhan as Chairman.
The indefinite strike called by FTII students is a much-needed resistance to the attempts of the BJP government to impose the RSS agenda of saffronisation of education.
Ganjendra Chauhan has been made the new Chairman of FTII – a post which has been honourably occupied in the past by the likes of Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Girish Karnad, Shyam Benegal, U.R. Ananthamurthy and Saeed Akhtar Mirza. Gajendra Chauhan’s sole claim to ‘fame’ is his role as ‘Yudhishthir’ in the mega serial Mahabharata!
Barring this role (which he played way back in 1990s), he has made absolutely no contribution in carrying forward India’s film and television culture. His real credential and ‘contribution’ is in fact his long-standing support for the BJP/RSS!
For more than two decades, he has been an active supporter and campaigner for the BJP as well as for the likes of Asaram Bapu. He has openly espoused several causes dear to the Sangh brigade – including opposition to celebration of Valentine’s Day.
See Video: (Video credits- Ajayan Adat, FTII)
Along with Gajendra Chauhan, Anagha Ghaisas and Shailesh Gupta have been appointed into the FTII’s Governing Council. Like Chauhan, their only credential in the world of cinema and television seems to be their enthusiasm and willingness to produce propagandist videos and films to suit and spread the RSS/BJP’s ideology.
Ghaisas has for instance produced a film saluting the demolition of the Babri Masjid as a much-needed and awaited ‘revolution’ in India, and Shailesh Gupta has made films to promote Modi as a ‘messiah’!
The appointment of Gajendra Chauhan, Shailesh Gupta and Anagha Ghaisas show a clear pattern – the desire of the Modi government to infiltrate and fill all institutions with their ideologues, and to kill vibrant democratic spaces of debate, discussion and dissent.
From the FTII, to the ICHR, the IITs and the Censor Board of India, efforts are on to fill RSS ideologues in each and every institution and to convert these institutions in the Hindutva mould of ‘cultural nationalism’ and aggressive communalism.
