Kochi: The ruling CPM-led government in Kerala is in deep trouble as a few female artists have leveled sexual allegations against a minister, an MLA, media reports said.
Its major ally CPI had joined the Opposition seeking action against the perpetrators, the reports said. An actress had accused Minister K B Ganesh Kumar of seeking sexual favours for getting better prospects in the film industry. Similar charges against CPM MLA Mukesh by casting director Tess Joseph and actor Minu Muneer have made things murkier for the party.
Ganesh and Mukesh were actors before taking a plunge into politics. Publication of Justice Hema panel report on the atrocities meted out on female actors in Malayalam film industry has kicked off a storm as many artists have come out in the open making shocking revelations against a number of film personalities including top film maker Ranjit who quit as chief of Kerala Chalachitra Academy due to tremendous pressure from ruling partner CPI.
Film personalities Manian Pillai Raju, Jayasurya, Idavela Babu, Baburaj are among those facing allegations of sexual misconduct.Actors’ association A.M.M.A. General Secretary Siddique too resigned following sexual allegations against him by actor and model Revathy Sampath who has made charges against many others.
She had made the allegations in 2019 but the matter was damned by the police and the film fraternity pushing her into a state of depression.
A female actor accused Mukesh of making adjustments with him for getting membership in A.M.M.A. The panel found that the actors demanding sexual favours for not only getting roles in films, but also good food at the sets during shooting.
Justice Hema Commission was set up by the Left government after a women actors’ outfit WCC expressed concern over exploitation of women in Malayalam Film industry. It was the attack on a leading South Indian actor on February 17, 2017, in Kochi that brought all women actors under one umbrella to fight for their cause.
Actor Dileep is an accused in the case and spent 85 days in jail after his arrest.
