Malayalam actor Manju Warrier, who had extended her support to the Women’s Wall organised by the ruling CPI(M), has withdrawn her support now. In a post published on Facebook on Sunday, Manju said that she did not want to associate herself with movements that had political undertones.
“I had lent my support to the women’s wall thinking that it was an initiative taken by the State government for the women. But I did not realise that there were political undertones in it. This happened because of my ignorance. I was not aware that the women’s wall initiative was being associated with many political issues. I believe that nobody should stand divided based on anything. I wish that we stand for each other regardless of caste, creed and religion, just like how we forgot about everything and came together during the floods,” she wrote.
“I don’t have politics that is defied by the colour of the party flags. My politics is art. I have nothing beyond this. Therefore, I wish to distance myself from any initiative that’s held in the name of parties or politics. I emphasise that this is the same view I have on the women’s wall,” her post read.
The actor also stated that she had participated in many programmes organised by the state government at all times and she will continue to do so in the future.
Hours prior to this clarification post, Manju had posted a video on Facebook expressing her support for the wall. “Renaissance values should be protected, gender equality is inevitable. Let Kerala go forward. I am with the women’s wall all,” she said.
The actor’s decision comes a day after writer Sarah Joseph withdrew her support to the wall demanding that PK Sasi, a CPI(M) MLA who was accused of molesting a DYFI (Youth wing) women’s leader, was expelled from the party.
The government, in a massive demonstration from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, has appointed a 101-member organising committee to manage the wall. The demonstration is to counter the opposition and other right-wing outfits’ protest against the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter Sabarimala. With the women’s wall, the ruling CPI(M) attempt to show their ‘progressive and secular mindset’ with regards to the verdict.