Complaints of harassment to Tollywood committee & Pinarayi’s new headache

In this week’s Powertrip, a political newsletter exclusively curated for TNM and NL subscribers by Dhanya Rajendran, Shabbir Ahmed, Pooja Prasanna, and Nidheesh MK, we look into the committee that looked into problems in Tollywood, and whether they received complaints of sexual harassment. Meanwhile, Pinarayi Vijayan’s headaches are now compounded by allegations against his political secretary P Sasi, while in the case of MLA Mukesh, who has been accused of sexual harassment, the CPI(M) has dug its heels in and refused to ask him to step down as MLA. We tell you what the party is thinking in both these instances. .Inside TrackExclusive stories, for your eyes only.Tollywood committee received two complaintsIn 2018, a Telugu female actor protested against sexual harassment in Tollywood, prompting the Telangana government to form a 25-member committee to address the issues in the film and TV industry. The committee included prominent figures like actor Supriya, anchor Jhansi, director Nandini Reddy, among others. The report was completed and submitted to the BRS government in 2022. However, with a new government and changes in officials in 2023, the report has not been acted upon. The Voice of Women, a support group in the Telugu film industry, has now demanded its release.All the Telangana committee members we spoke to confirmed that their report is not as extensive as the Hema Committee’s, which involved a broader investigation. The Telangana committee engaged with various industry members and received two statements on sexual harassment, which were treated as formal complaints and handed to a sub-committee.Members noted that the delay seems to be more due to bureaucratic inertia rather than intentional suppression, as many government reports face similar neglect..Pinarayi’s quandary over his political secretary Kerala is facing a political storm. An independent MLA aligned to the ruling CPM, PV Anwar, released recorded calls of Superintendent of Police Sujit Das, where he reveals that Pinarayi Vijayan’s political secretary P Sasi is shielding senior ADGP Ajith Kumar who is involved in gold smuggling, amassing illegal wealth, and is sabotaging investigations.Sasi is a man of comebacks. Once ousted from the CPI(M) over a sexual assault allegation, he made a comback to the Kannur district committee and then the state committee after he was exonerated by a court. In 2022, Pinarayi made him his political secretary.Anwar’s decision to expose allegations against police officers and indirectly link them to Sasi is seen as an attempt to bring Sasi’s controversial role into the spotlight ahead of the upcoming CPI(M) party conferences, where members are allowed to voice criticism. It is believed that Anwar wanted Sasi to be discussed in the party conferences as many have complaints against him.The key question now is whether Pinarayi Vijayan will support Sasi or distance himself amid growing discontent. Sources suggest that while the Party Secretariat is expected to meet soon, it’s unlikely that other leaders will push for action against Sasi, leaving the decision to the Chief Minister..Why the CPI(M) won’t let Mukesh goDespite intense pressure from the media and opposition, the CPI(M) has not asked Kollam MLA Mukesh to resign. Mukesh, also a prominent actor, faces sexual harassment accusations from two women, with cases filed against him. In a recent closed door meeting of CPI(M) leaders, Mukesh’s situation was a key topic of discussion. The leaders indicated that if Mukesh were a minister, he would likely have been asked to step down. However, as an elected MLA, the party believes it is prudent not to remove him, avoiding the risk of a by-election, which could be challenging for the party to win again.While most leaders privately acknowledged Mukesh’s actions as ‘morally questionable,’ his resignation as an MLA is not on the table. What remains perplexing is the government’s decision not to publicly announce whether Mukesh has been removed from the Film Policy Committee. However, it was indirectly leaked to the media that he has been removed. Many sources suggest the government is now determined not to make any announcements that might concede ground to the WCC or the media..DMK govt’s race to tackle misinformationDespite numerous challenges, including court cases and licensing delays, the Formula 4 street circuit race in Chennai was held successfully.The Tamil Nadu government focused on ensuring that there was no negative publicity surrounding the event as it was handled by Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s department. The government’s fact-checking unit was mobilised to counter any negative information circulating on social media. The DMK IT wing was also roped in to counter such narratives.Throughout the race weekend, team members closely monitored social media posts related to the event, particularly after an 8-hour delay on the first day, which fuelled speculation about whether the race would take place. Additionally, a team from the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) was deployed to keep the media informed and ensure that there was no misinformation..Zero HourA political story of public importance.India Must Increase Investment in Agricultural Research to Strengthen Climate Resilience.Such measures need to cover various crucial aspects, starting from accurate weather forecasting systems to development of climate change-resilient high-yielding crop varieties and cultivation practices..PowermovesTop 5 political stories.1. Explained: Why Karnataka is not enthusiastic about Bommasandra-Hosur metro line2. Kerala: Woman Congress leader raises grave allegations against party leadership3. TNM Impact: TN Min to hold discussions on Ennore cash payouts, will an inquiry follow?4. Hail HYDRA: Revanth’s Bulldozer Strategy and the New Political Order in Telangana5. How ruling front MLA PV Anwar forced Kerala govt to probe police top brass

Complaints of harassment to Tollywood committee & Pinarayi’s new headache

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