Full Breakdown
Clash at Satyajit Ray Film Institute: Students vs RSS-linked Consumer Group
By Drooid · · How we work
The Incident on September 27, 2026
On Sunday, September 27, 2026, a confrontation erupted at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata after members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) began an “awareness” programme in the institute’s main auditorium. Students entered the theatre to place protest posters, objecting to the outside organisation’s presence. The exchange turned physical, with both sides reporting assaults, verbal abuse and the use of objects such as stones and bricks. Police later cordoned the campus, and the incident continued into the night, with ambulances and a crowd of outside supporters blocked from leaving.
Background and Context
ABGP describes itself as an RSS-linked consumer-welfare outfit founded in the late 1970s; the RSS is the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The institute, a central-government cinema school established in 1995, has previously seen campus unrest, notably the August 19, 2026 clash at Jadavpur University involving left-wing students and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. The September 27 incident therefore fits a broader pattern of political groups seeking space on academic campuses in West Bengal.
Data and Statistics
- The student union reported around 15 of its members were injured; other outlets cited about 30 students and two faculty members requiring medical attention.
- ABGP members claimed four of their participants were hospitalized.
- ABGP stated it paid INR15,000 to rent the auditorium.
- Approximately 150 students were present on campus after the clash, according to several student statements.
Official Statements & Responses
- The SRFTI Student Union said it had not been informed about the event before permission was granted.
- SRFTI administration confirmed police were deployed outside the campus and that the situation was “under control,” noting that no serious injuries had been reported to institute officials.
- Police indicated they intervened to allow an ambulance to leave and that multiple FIRs had been lodged by both parties.
- ABGP representatives maintained they had obtained official permission to use the auditorium and that their members were attacked without provocation after students tore banners.
- The ABVP, a student wing of the RSS, issued a distancing statement, asserting it was not associated with the incident and that the police would investigate.
- BJP MP Rahul Sinha condemned the violence, stating such acts would not be tolerated in any educational institution.
Criticism and Opposition
Debanjan Dey, state secretary of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), called the episode “systematic terror” by RSS-backed outfits and questioned how the organisation obtained permission to hold the event. The SFI’s critique aligns with broader left-wing concerns about the encroachment of Hindutva-aligned groups on academic spaces.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
- Injury counts differ: the student union cites roughly 15 injuries, while the Times of India reports about 30 students and two faculty members hurt.
- Knife allegations: SRFTI students claim they were attacked with knives; DW could not independently verify the video evidence, and ABGP denies any use of knives.
- Police assessment: SRFTI officials say no serious injuries were recorded, whereas multiple student accounts describe severe wounds, including facial lacerations and deep gashes.
- Responsibility for the ambulance blockade: student statements allege a crowd prevented the ambulance from leaving; ABGP members claim the vehicle was stopped by police for safety checks.