Naseeruddin Shah backs SRFTI students' sit-in; BJP leaders question his motives

Actor Naseeruddin Shah and filmmaker Payal Kapadia publicly backed students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, who have been holding an indefinite sit-in outside the Vice-Chancellor's office since October 12 following violent incidents on campus (The Economic Times, Odisha Bytes, ABP Live). In a video message, Shah accused the BJP of pursuing a vendetta against those who do not share its beliefs and of trying to intimidate aspiring filmmakers (The Economic Times, ABP Live), prompting BJP and NDA leaders to question his motives and loyalty (The Hindu, Yes Punjab, Asianet Newsable).

What every report agrees on

Every report describes the same sequence: students allege attacks on campus on September 27 and again on October 4, which they link to groups connected with the RSS (Mathrubhumi, Hindustan Times); classes in film and electronic and digital media have been suspended, with the institute saying they will remain so into the second week of November (Mathrubhumi, The New Indian Express); students have been on a sit-in outside Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera's office (Odisha Bytes, ABP Live); six students have been rusticated (The Hindu, Hindustan Times); and Shah, joined by Kapadia, backed the protest in a video message and attacked the BJP (The Economic Times, Mathrubhumi). Reports also agree that BJP figures responded, with Rajya Sabha member Rahul Sinha asking for an investigation into Shah's remarks and raising the possibility of an international conspiracy (Mathrubhumi, The Hindu).

How the left-leaning press told it

The New Indian Express, The Hindu and Hindustan Times: Administration discipline and BJP rebuttal

Left-leaning outlets led mainly on the institutional side of the dispute. The New Indian Express, rated centre-left, reported that SRFTI asked parents to take their wards home while classes were suspended, and carried students' allegation that the administration was pressing them to end the protest (The New Indian Express). The Hindu, rated centre-left, headlined the BJP's charge that Shah wants to weaken democracy and set out Sinha's call for an investigation and MLA Ritesh Tewari's question about Shah's silence on other issues, alongside the rustication of six students (The Hindu). Hindustan Times, also rated centre-left, foregrounded the institute's defence of the one-year rustications and noted students' accusation that SRFTI failed to ensure their safety (Hindustan Times).

How the right-leaning press told it

The Economic Times, ABP Live, The Times of India and India Today: Vendetta charge and BJP reply

Outlets rated centre-right carried both readings. The Economic Times and ABP Live led with Shah's and Kapadia's solidarity, reporting his charge of a vendetta against dissenters and Kapadia's statement that she was horrified by developments at the institute (The Economic Times, ABP Live). The Times of India led instead with BJP MLA Ritesh Tiwari, who said Shah opposed the BJP and the Sangh by lineage and questioned his silence over slogans attributed to West Bengal ministers and the Mayor of Kolkata (The Times of India). India Today presented the two together, with Shah and Kapadia backing the students and the BJP responding (India Today).

The coverage of this story does not divide along left and right lines.

What the record shows

The disagreement in the coverage runs across outlet ratings rather than between them: centre-right ABP Live and The Economic Times relayed Shah's vendetta charge without rebuttal (ABP Live, The Economic Times), while centre-right Times of India and centre-left The Hindu led with BJP figures disputing his motives (The Times of India, The Hindu). On the record, students say they were attacked on September 27 and October 4 by groups linked to the RSS and that the administration did not ensure their safety (Mathrubhumi, Hindustan Times); the institute says the six rustications were for vandalism and assault rather than for protesting (Hindustan Times), and students say the administration pressed them to withdraw the agitation (The New Indian Express). On the other side, Rahul Sinha sought an investigation into whether Shah's remarks were tied to an international conspiracy (Mathrubhumi, The Hindu), Ritesh Tiwari cited lineage (The Times of India), Keya Ghosh questioned Shah's political stance and the conduct of the protesting students (Asianet Newsable), and NDA leaders said he had crossed from dissent into questioning national unity (Yes Punjab). No report in this set independently verifies who carried out the September 27 and October 4 incidents, or tests the conspiracy allegation against Shah.

Drafted by the Alethman engine from 11 independent reports, and checked by an editor before publication. An outlet's side comes from published media-bias ratings (Media Bias/Fact Check, AllSides) or documented ownership, named under the coverage bar; Alethman does not rate outlets itself.