SRFTI Kolkata Protest: Naseeruddin Shah, Payal Kapadia Back Students; BJP Hits Back
Student protests at Kolkata's Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute have triggered a political confrontation. Students are protesting against alleged incursions and campus violence involving RSS-linked organisations on 27 September and 4 October, demanding Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera's resignation. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and filmmaker Payal Kapadia voiced support for the students, calling for administrative action and campus safety. The BJP hit back, stating that freedom of expression is intact while alleging foreign funding and warning against law violations. Meanwhile, the Congress backed the agitators, alleging that democracy is declining. The institute has asked students to vacate hostels amid ongoing tensions.