Stories
SRFTI Clashes: Protesters Hurl Bricks, Bottles at Students, Call Them 'Naxalites'
- •Tension escalated at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata as members of Bangiyo Hindu Jagaran Manch (BHJM) allegedly hurled bricks and bottles at students.
- •The protest, organized by BHJM, claimed SRFTI students insulted Swami Vivekananda and Bharat Mata, leading to scuffles with police and injuries to officers.
- •Students had previously requested police and the West Bengal government to prevent the protest and deploy security around the institute.
- •Protesters called students "Naxalites," raised slogans, and allegedly replaced pictures of BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi with those of Bharat Mata.
- •This incident follows earlier clashes at SRFTI over an event by an RSS-linked organization, prompting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the West Bengal government.
Key Questions Answered
Tension erupted at SRFTI after members of the Bangiyo Hindu Jagaran Manch held a protest march, alleging that students had insulted Swami Vivekananda and Bharat Mata, and attempted to enter the campus. This followed earlier clashes on September 27 over an event organized by the RSS-linked Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat.
Three FIRs were registered at the Panchasayar police station following the September 27 clashes—two against unknown students and one against unknown persons. The charges include provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for wrongful restraint, assault on public servants, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation.
Two days after the September 27 clashes, the West Bengal government constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the violence. Additionally, students and faculty have sought increased security amid ongoing tensions and confrontations.
