Kolkata: A tug-of-war has broken out at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) between students and the administration over alleged censorship of graffiti on campus walls.The dispute escalated after students, adopting a “reclaim our walls” slogan, repainted the boundary walls with political messages after the authorities had whitewashed them earlier. The administration erased the new graffiti as well.On Tuesday morning, passersby and some staff members entering the institute were shocked to see fresh graffiti on the front walls, including slogans such as “police is our enemy”.“While entering the premises, I saw the graffiti. Time and again, we had requested students not to write anything provocative since the situation is very sensitive now. By 11.30 am, the administration deployed staff to erase the writing,” a faculty member said.The students’ anger appears to have stemmed from an email sent by police to the registrar and vice-chancellor on Monday, saying provocative wall writings could hurt public sentiments and disturb peace. Police asked the institute to take necessary steps to remove or erase such graffiti.The registrar then issued an advisory asking everyone to avoid defacing the campus. The security in charge was also directed to maintain strict surveillance, document evidence against violators and report them to the administration for action under institute rules and bylaws.Students, however, viewed the move as censorship and an attack on their freedom of expression.“This is forcibly curbing our freedom. Writing graffiti on walls has been our right. Erasing it is censorship. That’s why it was decided that students will reclaim the walls,” a student said.Among the graffiti on the campus was one that had the word “missing” and a drawing resembling actor and BJP neta Suresh Gopi, who is now SRFTI chairman.“We had a meeting in the afternoon. Students have demanded that our vice-chancellor organise a meeting with Gopi. He has to ensure our safety. The most important demand is that he speak to students, condemn whatever has happened at the institute and clarify the institute’s stance if such an incident recurs,” the student said.BJP netas have objected to the graffiti. Actor Suman Banerjee, the BJP’s state cultural in charge, said: “Not just the writings on the boundary wall, the language used in graffiti on the campus has not missed our attention. It is sad to see a premier institution with such wall writings and inscriptions. I still feel this entire process has been instigated by a handful of students with a certain ideology. The entire student community is on an academic halt because of a few students who are instigating them. This has to stop and will not be tolerated in any democratic space. Even if there is no CCTV on campus, legal measures will be taken to ensure that violators are identified. It is the same thing that has happened at Jadavpur University.”Anamika Pal, an SRFTI student, said: “Students want to start their regular film screening sessions either on Wednesday or Thursday at the Main Theatre where the ABGP gathering was held on Sept 27. A student suffered an elbow dislocation and will undergo surgery on Wednesday.”
