FTII and IIT Bombay Students Dissent Over Ram Mandir Celebrations, Citing an Assault on Secularism

Mumbai- A wave of dissent has swept through three prominent educational institutions in India, as students from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) raise their voices against recent events linked to the Ram Mandir celebrations. The announcement of a half-day holiday in celebration of Ram Lalla Pratishtha at Ayodhya by the Government of India has sparked strong condemnation from FTII students, who view it as a direct assault on the country's secular fabric.

Simultaneously, objections have been raised by the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC) at IIT Bombay, questioning the institute's stance on political events amidst a series of scheduled celebrations. On another side, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has released a notice cautioning its students against organizing any protests on campus criticizing the "Ram Janmabhoomi Pran Pratishthan" event scheduled for January 22. The notice emphasizes that if students choose to engage in such protests, law-enforcing agencies will take necessary action.

As these students dissent unfolds, the intersection of politics and education takes center stage, prompting a critical examination of the principles of secularism and political neutrality within academic institutions.

The student community of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) resonated with a vehement condemnation of the Government of India's recent declaration of a half-day holiday on January 22, in celebration of Ram Lalla Pratishtha at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

The timing of the holiday, just before upcoming elections, is viewed by the students as a calculated attempt by the ruling BJP government to fuel communal discord under the pretext of religious celebration. The FTII student community strongly believes that the state should remain unbiased in religious matters, and the government's directive is seen as an imposition of divisive ideologies through religious channels. They assert that such saffronization poses a serious threat to the core values of a secular and democratic India.

The written statement the students collective read, " This audacious move not only casts a shadow of doubt upon the cherished notion of secularism embedded in our Constitution but also callously overlooks the bloodshed that stained the very land during the infamous demolition of the Babri Masjid.

The students of FTII brazenly denounce this governmental decree as a blatant abuse of power, a direct assault on the secular fabric that forms the bedrock of our nation. The insidious timing of this half-day holiday, conveniently preceding elections, reeks of a premeditated ploy by the ruling BJP government to sow seeds of communal discord under the guise of religious celebration. It is an unequivocal attempt to polarize the country along religious lines, an affront to the principles of a truly secular and democratic India.We strongly believe that the state should never be tainted with the hues of religious bias.

The government's directive is perceived as a forceful imposition of its machinery to disseminate divisive ideologies through religious channels. This audacious saffronisation is deemed a heinous threat to the very essence of the country's secularism and democracy.In the face of this audacious assault on the spirit of the nation, the FTII student community stands united, resolute in its opposition to the insidious machinations that seek to compromise the foundational values of our democracy."

IIT Bombay's Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle Objects to Campus Events Amidst Institute's Apolitical Stand

Meanwhile, at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), a dissenting voice emerges from the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC). The student collective has raised objections to a series of events scheduled on campus, deeming them in violation of the institute's recently declared guidelines on holding political events.

APPSC's post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) reveals that the institute has granted permission for a procession named 'Shriram darbar shobha yatra' on January 21, with the Director inaugurating a 'gaushala' on January 22. Additionally, a musical event called 'Ramdhun' is scheduled for January 20. APPSC argues that these events contradict the institute's earlier commitment to remaining apolitical.

In response, the institute's spokesperson defended the events, stating that the guidelines are interim. Regarding the 'gaushala' inauguration, the spokesperson explained that it was necessary to reduce man-animal conflict on campus, as the old 'gaushala' was in poor condition and has been refurbished.

Meanwhile,the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has released a notice cautioning its students against organizing any protests on campus criticizing the "Ram Janmabhoomi Pran Pratishthan" event scheduled for January 22. The notice emphasizes that if students choose to engage in such protests, law-enforcing agencies will take necessary action.

A Report in The Indian Express , quoted an unidentified official as saying that the intention was to “maintain a peaceful environment on campus of the academic institution”. On the same day, the institute also issued another notice stating that events such as lectures and seminars have been suspended on campus, as guidelines on holding them will be reframed.

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