Open letter from FTII student: Six charges against us that are totally untrue

Dear Friend from Beyond, Ever since we students of FTII went on strike about 54 days ago, you have read much about us. You have heard us protest the several unscrupulous appointments forced on us and our spokespersons while asking for professional credibility in a chairman. You may have heard how we continue to learn even in these times of protest. You have definitely heard various eminent personalities speak up in solidarity with our cause. You must have also heard the various arguments against us by the new appointees and other factions of the establishment. You have heard them call us naxals, anti-national, leftists, elites, aliens, politically motivated, indisciplined and a lot of other names. I request a little of your time and attention as I defend these charges in your court. Charge1: FTII students are pursuing an alien cause I am a student pursuing film education in a public funded institution. After 68 years of independence we are still fighting socio-economic inequality, natural calamities and terrorism, a fight for freedom of speech does seem alien. But, hey don’t fall prey to this propaganda, this is not about freedom of speech for some aliens on some other planet. This is about the right to a good education for post graduate students in this very country. [caption id=“attachment_2379596” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  FTII Protest in Pune. Firstpost Image.[/caption] My fight is against this negligent and ignorant attitude and the apathy towards filling such an important position as chairperson of the leading film institute in India. My fight is against this insensitivity shown towards the future of students. What else are you preparing me for? A quack heading AIIMS? A failed scientist heading IISC? The possibilities are immense. If they could do this to such a prestigious institute imagine the fate of our local government colleges and schools. What kind of young ignited minds can we expect to emerge from such institutions when they are led by mediocre people? I am not an alien but just a common man with a passion for cinema which I am trying to make my profession. In the absence of a visionary as the head of FTII I am scared of lack of growth for the students of today and tomorrow. Charge 2: FTII students are Elite I do consider myself extremely blessed; elite or not, you decide. At FTII, I have found amazing teachers, facilitators and peers. I haven’t missed out on a single lecture since I joined because I can’t afford to miss on these pearls of wisdom. At FTII, I am encouraged to think fearlessly. I am encouraged to empathize and understand every possible view without passing any judgement. With most of my friends coming from humble backgrounds just to follow their passion, we are anything but elite. Some of us have given up lucrative high power jobs, some of us have given up professional technical courses, some of us have given up government jobs to pursue this dream. Most of us have borrowed money from friends, family and banks. The strike is very difficult on us too. We are not elite in fact we are also citizens like you. Insecure and vulnerable about the cost of this path we have chosen! Every now and then we stumble, we lose faith, we start seeking exit points. We are hoping for a dialogue but definitely not looking at “cracking a deal” or even “indefinite strike”. I am hoping for a procedural solution so that no other batch has to give up its learning process for the sake of reforms. Charge 3: FTII students are anti national: We have all had problems with some kind of systemic setup or the other. But have you ever raised your voice? I honestly haven’t till today. But I have come to understand from this strike that by not protesting against a wrong today you are legitimising this “wrong deed” in the eyes of future generations. Imagine if some authority closes all libraries in all colleges pleading lack of funds. The next batch won’t miss the library because they have never seen one. It is anti-national to sit mum and wait for someone else to do something while damage is being done right now. In a democratic setup, a dialogue is the best step towards a resolution. But to get the establishment to talk to us we had to get their attention by a strike. I am in fact hoping that this protest snowballs and becomes a larger movement to ensure better appointment process in all domains of education. All I can do is do my bit here. Imagine if sense prevails and we get reforms in the entire Educational system. Charge 4: FTII students are motivated by politics/politicians Though we often say that we are apolitical, we have to choose some form of political ideology even if the process is that of elimination. The reforms we want are sought from the executive that is powered by a legislature. When the executive refuses to talk to us where does one go? We as students were hoping members of parliament will raise our questions in the legislative. We wrote to umpteen MoPs. Very few responded. We were naïve in assuming the MoPs would show more maturity than us. But then you have already seen what has happened. How else is one to proceed when the ruling party is shying away from a dialogue? Charge 5 : FTII students are wasting the taxpayer’s money There is a systematic approach to disgrace me in your eyes with fake data. While I am made to feel guilty of the government funds I am spending, I must tell you that expense in FTII doesn’t even figure in the expense on education reports released by MHRD, it is such a negligible percentage of government funds. While primary and secondary education takes up 65%, undergraduate education including technical and non-technical takes up 33% and rightly so. According to a RTI filed in these striking times, the expense per student at FTII is 2.25 lakhs and not the 10 lakhs or 12 lakhs claimed by various sources. Charge 6: FIRs, drugs, indiscipline, anarchy When you enter the FTII campus and you breathe, that air is filled with a drug called life. There is definitely a different level of energy in there. The beautiful campus and all its elements free your mind completely. But this is neither a drug haven nor a grooming ground for goons and anti-social elements. Its an institute of Post Graduate students taking full responsibility for the choices they have made. When my 5 year old daughter asked me what is the meaning of my strike. To keep it simple I told her that we are in disagreement with someone in authority so we are protesting. She immediately asked me if she could go on a strike for all our disagreements too. Lost for words, I asked her if she trusted me? Reluctantly but thankfully she nodded a yes. Then, I said, you should believe in what I am asking you to do as good for you. I realized then and there that I too want to trust the government, and first resolve this deadlock. The trust could begin not by lashing out at us with FIRs and fake charges but by talking to us with genuine concern for us. You and I I understand when most of my friends from beyond do not wish to formulate an opinion about this protest. All I am saying is there has to be a clear, competitive and transparent process to all these appointments in FTII and every educational institute. It should not be overshadowed by nepotism, by corruption or by political allegiance. I am not demanding a right in the decision making process. I am demanding a better process. I understand your struggle but I request you to give my struggle a thought. I share life space with you and I will continue to talk about everything that pains and pinches both of us. I am a child threatened of adoption on asking a disturbing question. I am a student fighting for a better educational structure and environment for my juniors. I am a mother protesting so that I can firmly tell my children to take responsibility while they enjoy every right given to them. I am a screen-writer fighting so that my writing isn’t hollow and spineless. No matter what the result of this fight I will continue to plead for both of us. I rest my case. Yours sincerely, An FTII Student PS: I hope you come to meet me on campus and talk about this. I hope I have at least broken some ice.