Kolkata: With allegations against him flying thick and fast after Trinamool’s drubbing, Swarup Biswas on Wednesday said that his term as the head of Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers of Eastern India had ended in Dec 2025. Allegations have been levelled against both Biswas and president of Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) Piyaa Sengupta. Questioning why Sengupta allowed Biswas at EIMPA meetings — which should ideally only have its members — some producers have filed a complaint at the Bowbazar police station against EIMPA on May 5. They have demanded protection for the office to prevent the tampering of official documents. There are allegations of money laundering against the EIMPA president as well.Sengupta had asserted that no written MoU exists requiring producers to hire Federation technicians. Biswas declined to comment on this. Biswas said those questioning him in Tollywood are aware that he was elected as a president of Federation in June-July. He said the previous AGM was delayed until Nov due to ongoing litigation. Addressing the “apology videos” from directors who have now turned against him, Biswas told TOI: “I can’t say why they gave the videos. They will have to say it. I have nothing to say if people change with the changing times. Technicians had fought for their rights. The cases were filed in the high court to get back their rights. None of those who did the videos had apologised. They had only said that their decision of going to court against technicians at that time was wrong. They had only said that taking away the rights of technicians was wrong.”Biswas dismissed claims of a “threat-and-ban culture” as mere advocacy: “There was no threat or ban culture in Tollywood. It will not be there in future. Technicians protested against those who tried to take away their rights. Is that protest a threat or a ban? Won’t they talk about wages and rights? In another meeting, the guilds will take a decision on the way forward.”Although Trinamool MP Dev has cast Anirban Bhattacharya — who had earlier been sidelined — in his next project, Biswas reiterated that the technicians’ guild would have the final say on working with those who challenged them in court. “Technicians will take a call on whether they want to work with those who tried to take away their jobs. I only voice the opinions of all technicians,” Biswas said.He is aware that the industry’s tide is turning. Director Pavel, once seen with Biswas at press conferences, recently celebrated the end of “gupi” (clandestine) shoots and “hujjuti” (harassment). Pavel told TOI, “I never did any apology video to show my allegiance to him. I have never taken any favour from Trinamool. I never agreed with Federation’s insistence on taking a certain number of people in a film’s shoot but stayed mum to protect my ability to work. Directors are finally free to shoot on their own terms.”Biswas met this dissent with stoic indifference: “The problem is: human beings change with time. If people change with changing circumstances, I have nothing to say.”
