Thiruvananthapuram: The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) has come under fire for failing to take a stand on the controversy related to the sexual assault of a prominent actress, as well as the behaviour of actors and MLAs Mukesh and Ganesh Kumar at the press meet on Thursday.
The effigies of the two MLAs were burnt by the Congress workers on Friday in Kollam after a protest march. District Congress Committee chief and Mahila Congress leader Bindhu Krishna also demanded the resignation of the two legislators and an apology from those actors who insulted the victim.
“They did not even condemn the statements made against the actress by members of the film fraternity. They did not discuss the issue at the meeting. The statements are outright anti-women,” said Krishna, adding that they have no right to continue as people’s representatives.
Thursday’s press conference had dissolved into a shouting match after AMMA members failed to make their stand clear on the comments made against the actress by Dileep, who was questioned by police for over 12 hours. Dileep is under a cloud over alleged links to people accused of abduction and rape of the Malayalam movie actress.
Senior CPM leader V S Achuthanandan also criticised what transpired at the AMMA press meet. He said, “The issue was handled in a very wrong way. They should have opposed and condemned this attack in a very strong way."
There were also severe criticism online. CPI-M parliamentarian P K Sreemathi Teacher dubbed the statements made by actors as misogynistic, anti-women and anti-democratic to the core.
“When AMMA says they are with the actress who was assaulted as well as the actor under suspicion, is it a matter of surprise if a woman in the film industry feels insecure?” she asked in a Facebook post.
She also asked why the association formed by female actors were not allowed to raise their voice on the issue. “The AMMA is a good organisation. But it seems doubtful whether it has a motherly mind. Maybe that's why the women in cinema had to form an organisation of their own,” she said.
“Why couldn't the Women's Collective have at least made a noise at the AMMA meeting? AMMA claims no one raised the issue, it would be more correct to say they were not allowed to raise the issue,” she added.
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