FTII row: Rahul Gandhi bats for discussion, asks Govt. to stop 'suppressing' students

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the government was suppressing the wishes of the students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and asked the ruling dispensation to hear their grievances in wake of the controversy over Gajendra Chauhan's appointment as the chief of the institute.

"I spent some hours with the students and I am very proud of them. The work they do is excellent. They showed me three of their films. They are only asking for a very small thing. They're asking for a discussion. They are asking for their voice to be heard," Gandhi told the media here.

"It is not going to make the government any smaller if they listen to the voice of the students. There are thousands of students. They are the future of this country. And all they are doing is they are trying to express themselves," he added.

The Congress vice-president said it was not appropriate on the government's part to impose their wishes on the students.

"I think the students' body, the faculty here; all of them feel that the government is not talking to them. And I don't think it does any good for the Government of India to suppress the wishes of the people of India," Gandhi pointed out.

"I have told them, wherever they need me, whatever they want from me, I am ready to help them. It's not our government. It's BJP's government. I said that I will bring their concerns in the Parliament," he added.

Gandhi also justified his "anti-national" remark for the government, saying they are least interested in discussions.

"I said so because they (government) don't want to have a discussion. Whatever opinion they don't like, they call it anti-national. These kids here are making films. What can be more pro-national than this? How can you call this anti-national? How can you call these youngsters anti-national? Is studying anti-national? Is learning how to make films anti-national?" he asked.

The students have been on a strike for the last 50 days demanding that the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of FTII must be cancelled.