Mukesh will not speak about Dileep. The Vice-President of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), who is also a sitting MLA, was asked about why the actor who has been accused of being the mastermind in the sexual assault of a woman actor was taken back by the association. But Mukesh refused to speak up on misogyny. But other topics are fair game, he said. Like Murungakkaya. Matthan. May be even mushrooms!
Mukesh, a veteran actor and also the MLA from Kollam constituency from the CPI(M), was coming out of an event at TKM College, when media persons questioned him on the body’s decision to reinstate Dileep.
He only said, “I should not react… I should not react. Whatever I have to say, I will say in the party office.”
When journalists pressed further, pointing out that he is also an MLA and not just the vice president of AMMA, for several politicians too have voiced their opinion on the issue, he said, “Ask me about my constituency. I recently inaugurated a programme called 'Oru Moram Pachakari'. Ask me about that.”
Oru Moram Pachakari, or one basket of vegetables, is a programme by the Kerala government that distributes vegetable seeds to people, so they can cultivate it before Onam.
His comments come even as many politicians, not just members of WCC, have questioned AMMA’s actions.
On Thursday, three members of the Collective – Parvathy, Revathy and Padmapriya – wrote to AMMA, calling for an emergency executive meeting. In the letter addressed to Edavela Babu, the General Secretary of AMMA, the members have questioned how the decision to take back Dileep was made without it being listed on the agenda. They have further said that they were not in town when the meeting was held and that they would have surely opposed the move had they been present.
On Wednesday, four actors - Rima Kallingal, Geethu Mohandas, the victim of the sexual assault and Remya Nambeesan - resigned from AMMA following its decision to take back rape accused Dileep into their fold.
Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac recently said, “WCC has asked AMMA members very pertinent questions and the heads of AMMA have an obligation to answer them. Unfortunately, no satisfactory answer has been given by AMMA. The actor who was assaulted has resigned from AMMA and the body should ask themselves why she took this decision.”
Former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan termed their decision to resign as ‘bold’.
“They have resigned after openly admitting that the association is quite anti-woman. Such associations, which gives scant regard to the rights of its members, will not serve any purpose,” he added.
CPI(M) Politburo member MA Baby too weighed in on the controversy and said, “Democratic Kerala will completely support those women who protested against and AMMA and resigned from it.”