“We at GraFTII, the alumnus association of the Film & Television Institute
of India (FTII), express our concern at the increasing manifestations of
intolerance in our country. An immediate example is the brutal attack on
students of the FTII in Pune on the evening of 21st August, after a film
screening held in tribute to Dr Narendra Dabholkar, assassinated the
previous morning.
Intimidating tactics such as beatings and murders not only strike at the
roots of our democracy but get encoded as threats in the minds of all. Fear
places constraints on what might be said, written, read, shared, created,
shown or even funded. Creativity can only thrive if there is no fear in the
minds of those who work in the arts, sciences, social studies and all other
spheres of human endeavour.
Such acts of violence should be condemned by all who value India’s
cultural diversity and see the diminishing freedom of expression as a sign
of worse things to come. We assert that we will not be intimidated by such
tactics. Those guilty of such acts should be brought to justice and the
charges made against the FTII students be dropped immediately.”
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