New labels

As students continue to agitate against the appointment of actor-turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India, an article ("FTII row: Protest or Conspiracy?") in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh mouthpiece Organiser said it smelled a "conspiracy" behind the demonstrations. After labelling the protesting students "anti-Hindu fringe elements", the article went on to brand director Mrinal Sen a "confirmed Marxist", Girish Karnad "a known Hindu-hater" and Shyam Benegal "anti-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)". Topping its list of "anti-Hindu" directors was Rajkumar Hirani, director of the popular Munnabhai series.