B’luru: Student groups pressure leads to IIFF cutting ties with Israeli consulate
Bengaluru: In response to mounting pressure from student organizations, the Innovative International Film Festival (IIFF) has rescinded its invitation to the Consul General of Israel to South India and withdrawn its plans to feature Israel as one of the “Countries of Focus” for this year’s festival.
This decision comes after a coordinated effort led by various student bodies, including the All India Students Association, Students for People’s Democracy, COLLECTIVE Bangalore, and the Students Islamic Organisation of India. The groups voiced their concerns regarding Israel’s participation at the event, citing Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, which have resulted in widespread civilian casualties and the destruction of educational institutions.
In a joint statement, the student groups expressed their shock at the IIFF’s collaboration with Israeli authorities, particularly in light of Israel’s alleged genocide in Gaza and its recent attacks on Lebanon.
They pointed out that the festival’s association with the Israeli government, despite being supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), was inappropriate given Israel’s human rights record.
“We were extremely shocked and concerned that the IIFF was being supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and NFDC, despite partnering with Israeli authorities at a time when Israel has escalated its genocide in Gaza and expanded its sphere of terrorism to Lebanon,” the statement read.
The student groups also criticized several prominent academic institutions in Bengaluru—such as Christ University, St. Joseph’s University, Mount Carmel College, New Horizon College, and Jyoti Nivas College—for affiliating with the film festival. They highlighted the destruction of educational institutions in Gaza, where 80% of schools have reportedly been destroyed, and accused Israeli forces of targeting Palestinian academics.
Following intense pressure from these student organizations, IIFF organizers revised their decision, deleting social media posts promoting Israel’s participation and releasing a new brochure that excluded Israel from the list of countries of focus. The student groups applauded this move, commending the festival organizers for withdrawing from ties with the Israeli authorities.
The release further emphasized the need to oppose what they described as Israel’s attempts to use cultural platforms like film festivals to normalize its image on the international stage. The IIFF had initially promoted various opportunities tied to Israel, including film education exchange programs, joint ventures for film infrastructure, and content production studios.
Furthermore, the student groups raised concerns about efforts being made to influence students through such collaborations, stating that, “students from one of the participating colleges reported that their administrations were pressuring them to perform and participate in the festival.”
The statement reaffirmed the students’ organizations solidarity with the Palestinian people, referencing a recent reiteration of India’s stance on Palestine by the Minister of External Affairs in the Lok Sabha, where India expressed its long-standing support for a two-state solution.
According to the release, the student groups also called on academic institutions across Karnataka to heed the Palestinian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. They urged colleges and universities to terminate existing collaborations with Israeli institutions and refrain from forming new partnerships, drawing parallels to the successful international boycott of South Africa during its apartheid era.
"This is a moral imperative," the statement added, urging the people to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
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Man arrested in Hyderabad for impersonating police officer using AI videos
Hyderabad (PTI): A 27-year-old man was arrested in Hyderabad for allegedly impersonating a police official and uploading fabricated videos on social media platforms to gain followers, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, who worked as a delivery executive with a food delivery aggregator, created and circulated misleading videos using AI-based software.
He falsely depicted himself as a police official and showcased weapons, potentially causing panic and misleading the public, a release from Hyderabad Police said.
Police said it came to their notice that fake videos were being circulated on social media, showing individuals posing as police personnel and displaying weapons.
Upon preliminary inquiry, it was found that the videos were fabricated using AI software and did not represent any real police activity.
The accused unlawfully impersonated a police official and created deceptive digital content, which is a punishable offence under relevant provisions of law.
Such acts can erode public trust and create unnecessary alarm, the release said.
Acting on credible information, police teams apprehended the accused and seized a mobile phone used in the offence.
A case under relevant sections of the BNS and the IT Act, 2000, was registered at Kalapathar Police Station.
Further investigation is underway to determine whether any other persons were involved in the creation and dissemination of such content, police added.
