SRFTI students protest, Suresh Gopi mum as BJP rubbishes politics in choosing him as president

Voicing their concerns on Thursday (September 21), the institute’s student union said that the president and governing council’s chairman of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) should be someone who can embrace and uphold the institution’s pluralistic ethos and not someone whose political affiliations may inadvertently influence the institute's artistic and academic pursuits negatively’ .

“We need a president/GC chairman who preserves the integrity, inclusivity, and artistic excellence that SRFTI has stood for over the years,” said a statement issued by the students’ union.

Political move, say students

Students say Gopi’s nomination is part of the BJP government’s alleged trend to appoint advocates of Hindutva ideology to prominent positions in cultural organisations.

“We are worried about the potential implications of nominating Suresh Gopi as it will affect the institution's reputation and its ability to provide a nurturing and inclusive space for students from diverse backgrounds,” said the students’ union statement.

“SRFTI is an institution with a 25-year legacy that has produced remarkable films and filmmakers with diverse voices. Our institute has a rich history of artistic and intellectual excellence, upholding the legacy of the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray. It is imperative that the individual selected to lead this institution embodies the values of artistic freedom, pluralism, and inclusivity that SRFTI stands for. Our concerns regarding Suresh Gopi's nomination revolve around his known association with Hindutva political ideologies and his alignment with the BJP. He has even expressed polarising statements that threatened the secular fabric of this country. We believe that an individual's close affiliation with any political party, especially one known for its polarizing positions, may compromise the principles of neutrality and artistic freedom that SRFTI upholds,” the statement read.

Gopi unhappy with nomination, say sources; BJP rubbishes claim

While Gopi has not responded to his nomination, sources close to him claimed that he is not happy with it and sees it as an attempt by the saffron party to sideline him from active politics – a claim the BJP has rubbished.

A section within the BJP feels that Gopi could secure a seat for the party in the upcoming general elections in Thrissur and his relocation to Kolkata will stall his ambitions.

Criticising reports making the claims, BJP state president K Surendran asked whether the media had no obligation to check facts before putting out the news.

Asserting that Gopi will contest from Trissur in the Lok Sabha elections, Surendran alleged a “Congress agenda” behind such “fake news”.

“It was a Congress activist, based in Pala, who put out a social media post in this regard first and others started repeating it later. Such fake stories had no lifetime than half a day,” Surendran said. “People of Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency have already accepted Gopi and nobody can stop it,” he added.

Sources close to Gopi say the actor-politician had no clue about his nomination and the news broke only after Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, posted a congratulatory tweet on Thursday evening.

The sources also indicated the possibility of Gopi declining the offer, considering his significant aspirations in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

They say he is also trying to arrange meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during his upcoming visit to Delhi.

Lok Sabha aspirations

The ex-MP, who faced defeat in both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections from the Thrissur constituency in 2019 and 2021, has been dedicating significant effort to regain the seat in the upcoming general elections. He recently announced a mass protest march towards a cooperative bank in Thrissur, implicated in accusations of fund mismanagement and money laundering involving leaders of the ruling CPI(M).

According to sources, once a contender for leading the BJP in Kerala, Gopi now lacks support from the party's state leadership and thus has been assigned a non-political role for a three-year term, effectively excluding him from the 2024 elections.

Born as Suresh Gopinathan on June 26, 1959, in Kerala’s Kollam, Gopi achieved phenomenal success in films with his cop characters. He gained immense popularity for his roles in action-packed movies of the late nineties and early aughts. His charismatic presence on screen and memorable dialogue delivery contributed to his success in the film industry.

Foray into politics

In 2016, Gopi took a leap of faith into the realm of politics by joining the BJP. He was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP on April 29, 2016. He was nominated by the President of India in the eminent citizens category in accordance with the provisions outlined in Article 80 of the Indian Constitution. In the beginning, he appeared to align with the Congress, maintaining strong connections with the party stalwart K Karunakaran, the former chief minister of Kerala. However, he later became drawn to the BJP's ideology and cited Prime Minister Modi's vision for the nation's development and progress as a significant factor in this shift. Interestingly, he identified with the ideology of the Student’s Federation of India (SFI), the students wing of the CPI(M) during his college days.

Upon joining the BJP, Gopi actively participated in various political activities, engaging with the public and understanding their issues using his popularity as the reel hero. This hands-on approach allowed him to gain popularity among BJP supporters. During his tenure as MP, Gopi directed his attention towards a diverse array of charitable causes. However, over time, he became embroiled in numerous controversies, notably some with communal undertones.

Switch to radical side

During the Shivratri festival, Gopi stirred up a controversy with a speech that seemed to advocate the elimination of non-believers.

“While expressing my love for my Gods, I will also extend that love to all believers worldwide. I assert boldly that I do not hold affection for non-believers. I will not stand for any force that threatens the rights of believers, and I will fervently pray for their utter demise before the sacred shrine. Everyone should share this sentiment. Our devotion does not encompass causing harm to others. However, those who show disrespect towards our devotion, our devotional institution, or our path of worship—none of them should find happiness in this world, and their journey should end in misery,” Gopi was seen saying in a viral video.

He issued a clarification after facing severe backlash over his remarks.

“The video clip taken from one of my recent speeches has been edited without proper context. I wanted to address this issue as soon as I became aware of it,” he said

His statement against assembly speaker AN Shamseer, who he said needs to be defeated at any cost, during the election campaign, had also stirred up a controversy with the CPI(M) accusing him of targeting the minority community.