Government open for talks with FTII students

The government is open for discussions with FTII students who have been opposing the appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as the facility's chairman, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said on Monday.

While addressing the media outside the parliament, Rathore said that "making this issue political is the biggest mistake, probably it reveals the source of the strike".

"Discussions on demands raised by FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) students are going on for some time. Government is very liberal towards students."

The minister said it is a section of students who want to continue with the strike.

"A section of students want to continue with the strike even after the government held discussions with them to resolve issue," he said.

"Somewhere a small segment of students was being misled by a political party or person," he said in an obvious reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who has expressed support to the FTII students.

Over 200 students are on strike for over 50 days as they feel Chauhan, who played 'Yudhishthir' in "Mahabharat", lacks the stature and vision to head the premier institution on film studies.

The students allege that the decision of appointing Chauhan is "politically motivated".