“Fight has been going on since 2016…FWICE has no right to interfere”: Deepak Qazir Kejriwal on CINTAA row

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 23 (ANI): Actor and former CINTAA office-bearer Deepak Qazir Kejriwal has opposed Federation of Western India Cine Employees' (FWICE) involement regarding the ongoing dispute within the Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), its elections as he said the Federation has "no right" to interfere in CINTAA's internal affairs. 

“I also want to say that FWICE had no right to interfere in this. It is a separate organisation. FWICE has no right to interfere in CINTAA’s internal laws...The FWICE has infiltrated many unions and got them killed,” the actor said on Tuesday.
Kejriwal said the dispute had been going on for several years and was linked to issues concerning the functioning of CINTAA and the Cine Artists Welfare Trust (CAWT). He said the matter dates back to 2016.
“This fight is about not being able to fulfil some promises. I am telling you the current situation. This fight has been going on since 2016,” the actor told ANI.
The actor also spoke about the promises made during the 2024 CINTAA elections, saying several issues, including working hours, conveyance and timely payments, were part of the commitments made to members, which did not happen. 
“These people came with very long promises. That there would be a shift of 8 hours, there would be a conveyance, there would be a payment on time, and this and that. Anyway, all that did not happen,” he said.
Kejriwal also raised wider concerns about working conditions in the film industry. He said workers continue to face long shooting hours and called for better implementation of labour-related rules. “No law has been passed. Even today, spot boys, carpenters, light boys, whatever you call it, there are 16 hours of shooting. The situation of the artists is very bad,” he said.
The actor’s remarks come amid tensions within CINTAA over the functioning of its executive committee. Eleven members had resigned last month, raising concerns over the way some key decisions were being taken without enough consultation with the committee. Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure rejected the allegations. The election process was later challenged in court. 
On September 9, the court allowed the polls to go ahead, subject to the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings. The CINTAA elections took place on September 12. (ANI)