FTII student alleges she was punished for speaking against sexual harassment

Director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Bhupendra Kainthola has been accused of 'creating hostile work environment' and 'intimidating' a student, who raised her voice against incidents of sexual harassment in the institute.

The 2016 batch student wrote a letter to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, in which she mentioned that she came under the management's scanner in September, 2017, when she testified against a faculty member who was accused of sexual harassment by three female students.

Again in April this year, the girl approached the internal complaints committee (ICC) of FTII to complain about the misconduct of a male batch mate.

Following her complaints, the senior faculty member was removed, while the male student was suspended from the hostel for three months and asked to take "therapy".

Later in the month of August, the girl said, that she was expelled for an entire semester for "professional misconduct" and "academic indiscipline" during the production of an academic project. She was also barred from working on her diploma film, and from sending her projects for film festivals.

In her letter, the complainant asserted that her expulsion had "confirmed her fears", that Kainthola was targeting her for having raised her voice against sexual harassment incidents.

Kainthola, rejecting allegations against him, termed the complaint as "wild and imaginary".

Reacting on the accusation, Kainthola told ANI that action was taken as the girl was found guilty of professional misconduct by the inquiry committee.

"The one-sided statement is highly misleading and entirely at variance with the facts," he said.

Kainthola added that the three-member inquiry committee was constituted to probe the case, which later found out that the girl, along with another student, allegedly conspired and made an "unsuccessful, unethical attempt to replace the sound mix of a film by an unauthorized sound work."

He further added that the action against the girl was taken after the inquiry committee termed the case a "serious breach of trust, lack of respect, breaking of norms, severe disregard for general and academic discipline."

Kainthola said that allegations of the girl are an "attempt to cover up her act of professional fraud for which she was found guilty by the inquiry committee.