3 days ago
SRFTI Warns Students Against Campus Graffiti After Police Complaint
The Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute told students not to write or paint on its walls.
Police had asked the institute to act over messages they considered provocative.
Some messages told the RSS and Modi to go away.
Students had painted messages after reported attacks on students in September and October.
One student said the institute should have done more to protect students.
An institute official said its walls must not be defaced.
The institute said security staff would watch the campus walls and report people who wrote on them.
A state government investigation team is looking into the reported attacks.
SRFTI issued a notice Tuesday prohibiting students from painting, writing on, or otherwise defacing institute property.
The notice followed a police request for action over writings described as provocative and potentially disruptive.
Graffiti including “RSS go back” and “Modi go back” was painted over more than once.
The writings followed reported attacks on students on September 27 and October 4, allegedly involving members or supporters of Hindu nationalist groups.
Students criticized the institute for focusing on removing graffiti, while an official said campus defacement could not be allowed.
- Who
- The Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, its students, and local police.
- What
- The institute warned students against defacing campus walls after police requested action over provocative graffiti.
- Where
- The Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute campus.
- When
- The notice was issued Tuesday; the reported attacks occurred on September 27 and October 4.
- Why
- Police said the writings could hurt public sentiment and disrupt tranquillity in the area; the institute also cited its rules against defacing its premises.
Student concerns
Institute and police concerns
Removing graffiti
Student concerns
A student said the institute was more concerned with erasing anti-RSS graffiti than protecting students, and described repainting the walls as a “reclaim the wall” drive.
Institute and police concerns
The institute said defacement of its premises was not allowed, while police characterized the writings as provocative and potentially disruptive.
Campus safety and response
Student concerns
A student said authorities had failed to protect students despite being alerted to the October 4 march, and said no one had been arrested.
Institute and police concerns
An institute official said a state government special investigation team had been formed to investigate the September 27 and October 4 incidents.
Key facts
- Notice issuer
- The registrar of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute
- Notice date
- Tuesday
- Police request
- The officer-in-charge of Panchasayar police station asked the vice-chancellor and registrar to take appropriate action.
- Graffiti cited
- “RSS go back” and “Modi go back”
- Reported attack dates
- September 27 and October 4
- Investigation
- A state government special investigation team was constituted to investigate the two incidents.
Quotes
An SRFTI student
A student at the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute who criticized the administration’s response.
“No one has been arrested despite two raids on the campus. Amid this, the SRFTI administration is now more concerned about erasing graffiti that targets the RSS. As part of our ‘reclaim the wall’ drive, we painted over the graffiti. But those have been removed again.”
telegraphindia.com
“The VC is also against defacement of campus walls. The institute comes under the Union ministry of information and broadcasting. In a central institute, defacement of premises cannot be allowed.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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