Police violently disrupted peaceful stir, allege FTII students

Agitating students of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), who have demanded cancellation of appointment of TV actor and BJP's Gajendra Chauhan as its chairman, alleged that a peaceful protest organised by them was "violently disrupted" by police.

"Today's peaceful protest in solidarity with striking students of FTII outside Shastri Bhavan in New Delhi was violently disrupted by police and CRPF," a statement issued by a spokesman of FTII Students Association (FSA) said.

More than 100 activists and students were forcibly detained and lodged at Parliament street police station, it said.

A ten-member delegation of the FSA which includes seven alumni is in the capital to press their opposition to Chauhan's posting on the ground that the actor had no "credibility and vision" to lead the FTII and that he was a "political appointee" in view of his close association with the ruling BJP.

The I&B ministry, while inviting the students' body to discuss relevant issues to restore normalcy on the campus has asserted that it was government's "right to make appointments".