FTII students end hunger strike; talks to resume on Tuesday

On Friday, the protesting students had sent a letter to the ministry expressing their willingness to call off the hunger strike if the Government agreed to talks.

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The students have been on strike for the last 108 days, with some taking part in rotational hunger strikes over the last 18 days, mainly against the appointment of members linked to Hindutva groups on the FTII society, including actor Gajendra Chauhan as its president.

This is the second letter sent by Murthy to the students after he wrote on September 27 that the ministry was “committed to find a way forward”, but without preconditions.

The latest letter has set the stage for a third meeting between student representatives and the government after two previous rounds on July 3 and July 25.

On September 8, they listed eight issues for discussion: talks on the FTII society and its president; FIRs and court cases against students; impact of the impasse on academic timelines; talks on appointments and process; expert studies on administrative, academic, human resource and infrastructural crises; permanent and contract faculty; deteriorating ties between students and the current director and registrar; and modalities and timeframes to address all these issues.