Gajendra Chauhan pulls up media, justifies FTII decorum pact
Mumbai, July 21 (ANI): Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chairman Gajendra Chauhan today justified the move to make it mandatory for all new students to submit a "general conduct" affidavit that bars them from violating the "decorum and decency on the campus" and "insulting" faculty members, saying he as an artist believes in the freedom of speech, expression and artistic values.
ANI
Jul 21, 2016 23:30 IST
Mumbai, July 21 (ANI): Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chairman Gajendra Chauhan today justified the move to make it mandatory for all new students to submit a "general conduct" affidavit that bars them from violating the "decorum and decency on the campus" and "insulting" faculty members, saying he as an artist believes in the freedom of speech, expression and artistic values. Lashing out at the media for attempting to distort facts, Chauhan said that they should have thoroughly investigated the matter whether an affidavit was signed prior to the protests and requested them to check the prior records of FTII before highlighting any issue. Stating that the "general conduct" affidavit is nothing new, but the standard format like 2014, Chauhan said, "Just ask them as to why did they sign the same in 2014. There was no protest at that time." Responding to a poser about the amendments made in the new affidavit, Chauhan said, previously also, the students used to sign the same self-declaration affidavits. "We have made only a minor change, which is for the benefit of the students. Earlier, it said that hostels are not rights of students, we have omitted that line. We have now said the rooms will be allotted in the hostel according to the availability. It depends on the availability of the rooms in the hostel," he told ANI. Chauhan further said that the students had signed the same affidavit in 2014, adding the same things are there now in this affidavit. The FTII chairman also rubbished reports of difference of opinion between the students and committee members. "The students can also complaint about the faculty and can submit their reporting and the faculty can also express the same. So, we have kept it a two-way traffic, which we now call the 'feedback system'," he added. The FTII chairman's response came as some senior students of the FTII had earlier stated this was the first time that such an affidavit has been listed. (ANI)
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