Kolkata: On Friday, Emmy-nominated filmmaker Ronny Sen clashed with SRFTI security after scaling campus walls to conduct a student “counter workshop”, prompting the institute to lodge a police complaint. Concurrently, an independent alumni-backed fact-finding committee — formed by the SRFTI alumni association and comprising veteran actor Ratna Pathak Shah, former bureaucrat Jawhar Sircar and writer Anita Agnihotri — convened to record testimonies regarding the Sept 27 and Oct 4 incidents.Now, all regular academic activities at SRFTI remain suspended.According to SRFTI registrar Deepak Kumar, entry of “external individuals and visitors” on campus is presently “restricted” as part of “precautionary measures to safeguard the campus, its residents and institutional property”.On Friday, Sen told TOI: “I tried to meet the students, and they wanted to bring me inside. They said they had been denied permission. They then tried to organise the workshop outside the campus, but permission was denied again.” The student union shared a video on social media of cops refusing to allow the workshop to be conducted in a public place without seeking any prior permission.On Friday evening, SRFTI issued a press release stating that Sen had entered the institute premises illegally by scaling the campus perimeter wall. “He was apprehended on the spot by the institute’s security personnel. The matter has been reported to the local police, and a formal complaint has been lodged seeking appropriate action in accordance with law in respect of the unauthorised entry and the resulting threat to the safety and security of students, faculty, staff and other members of the Institute. The institute reiterates that no external individual or organisation is permitted to enter the campus without prior authorisation from the competent authority. All concerned are urged to respect institutional protocols and refrain from actions that may disturb campus peace or impede restoration of normalcy. SRFTI remains committed to restoring a safe and peaceful academic environment and resuming regular academic activities at the earliest. Cooperation from all stakeholders is earnestly solicited,” Kumar said in the release.A senior officer at Lalbazar said, “We have received a complaint and the process of drawing up an FIR is underway.” Sen did not respond to any message on the police complaint. Filmmaker Debalina Majumder, who has screened her film at SRFTI’s Classroom Theatre on Saptami after the academic halt was announced, said, “All our appeals to ensure free access to campus and restore normal academic sessions have fallen on deaf ears. I can understand the frustration of a sensitive artist like Ronny if he has done something like this to express his solidarity for students.”However, a senior faculty member told TOI: “There is no way I can support Ronny’s action. This is anarchy.”Earlier, the fact-finding committee had met outside to gather testimonials. Sircar said, “A faculty member, two resource persons and 15 students gave their personal testimonials. At least a dozen gave depositions on video format. We have asked everyone to provide digital evidences along with the charges. It is obvious that the establishment is trying to scuttle the mission. The alumni association has replied to the registrar’s email that had questioned the mission,” Sircar said.According to the alumni, the fact-finding mission is a “citizens’ initiative” protected under Article 19(1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution. The email has clarified that its committee’s scope — covering the Oct 4 events, institutional and police responses, and student actions from Oct 15 — remains distinct from the police SIT’s investigation. Rejecting claims that it undermines investigations, it asserted that an internal committee constituted by the institute cannot replace an independent inquiry since the Institute’s own handling is under scrutiny, though an invitation remains open for the management to present its version.Reaffirming that respecting the legal process and conducting an independent public inquiry are not mutually exclusive, the letter condemned the institute’s actions in lodging police complaints to stifle civic participation.
