HC bars ‘federation’ from infringing Tolly directors’ right to profession

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday permitted Tollywood director Bidula Bhattacharya to make a representation to the state regarding her work getting obstructed by the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) while observing that non-production of the unique card, insisted upon the by the federation, will not affect any of the rights of the petitioner directors to perform their duties and functions.

Several Tollywood directors, including Bidula Bhattacharya and Parambrata Chatterjee, had moved the bench of Justice Amrita Sinha on Thursday against the FCTWEI. The court allowed Bhattacharya to make a representation, regarding obstruction to her right to profession, to the secretary, Information & Cultural Affairs department. The state shall consider it after giving reasonable opportunity to the rest of the parties. A reasoned order shall be passed and communicated to the parties within four weeks from date of filing. The fate of the representation shall be placed before this court.

The court was told by the petitioners’ (film directors) advocate that the state is providing health insurance policy to members of the Directors Association of Eastern India (DAEI) along with members of other trade unions engaged in the film and television industry in Bengal. The health insurance benefit is provided only after the credentials of the particular members are rooted through the FCTWEI to state. State doesn’t accept any request from the members directly. Further, the FCTWEI is insisting upon a unique card for effective functioning of the petitioners.

Court was told that the code of conduct, adopted jointly by the FCTWEI and EIMPA, of which the unique card was part of, doesn’t prevail presently. Observing that the FCTWEI is a private entity, the court permitted the petitioners to approach the state directly without rooting application through the federation.

The state was directed to accept the same without directing petitioners to approach the federation. The court also waived the need for production of such a unique card since the said code of conduct is now invalid. Hence, its non-production will not affect the rights

of the petitioners. Parambrata expressed gratitude for the court’s decision. “We are extremely thankful to the honourable court and judge that they took cognizance of our plea and gave some instructions which will go down in history for creating a level-playing and rationalised field in the Bengali film industry.

I have always maintained that the Federation is an important body and it should be functional. But then, it can’t impose whimsical rules which hinder our work,” said the ‘Ei Raat Tomar Amar’ director. The young director Bidula said: “I had to move court because work is shrinking in our Bengali film industry. Technicians are the worst sufferers. Less work affects not only the directors and actors but also technicians. We should not have to follow arbitrary rules while shooting a film. Hence, his fight is basically for all.”