Kochi: Attack on a female actor in 2017 led to creation of Justice (Retd) Hema Committee whose report has fuelled unrest not only in Malayalam film industry but also within the ruling Left front led by CPM.
While the cyber world is full of stories leveling allegations against a number of prominent actors including two top actors, ministers in the Left government too seem to be divided on conducting probe based on the depositions made by artistes and others about alleged attrocities on female actors before the three member committee.
Several serious allegations of sexual abuse on female actors and minors inviting provisions of POCSO were made before the panel.
Despite all these Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian suggested holding a conclave involving stakeholders of the film industry to discuss the charges made against the artists cited in the report.
Interestingly, Fimance Minister K N Balagopal’s stand has shocked all for differing with the position of Chief Minister who and Senior party leader A K Balan expressed helplessness to probe into the charges without the victims coming forward to register FIR against those who had abused the victims.
Causing more embarrassment to the Left Front was the remarks of its key ally Communist Party of India (CPI) national secretariat member and general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) Annie Raja slighting Kerala government’s decision to hold the cinema conclave to discuss the case.
Raja told reporters in New Delhi that putting victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse on the same platform ran against natural justice.
“It is the government’s responsibility to ensure workplace equality for women in the entertainment industry. The remit goes beyond the mere registration of cases”, Raja added.
The CPI is in sync with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) on whose demand the Justice Hema committee was set up in 2017.
The Kerala High Court’s directive to the state government to present the unedited report in a sealed manner has put the government and suspected actors on a tight spot.
Abuse of a noted actress on February 17, 2017, had led to the arrest of many including actor Dileep who is the eighth accused in the case. He was arrested and incarcerated for 85 days before securing a bail. The crime had
sent tremors in the South Indian film industry leading to a large chunk of women artists joining hands to demand formation of the WCC. The event had created fissure in the industry with one section backing WCC while the main outfit AMMA standing with Dileep before his arrest.
