The Malayalam actress who was kidnapped and assaulted in Kochi on February 2017 has written a moving letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The letter, posted via the Facebook page of Women in Cinema Collective, came following the derogatory comments made against her by Poonjar MLA PC George. She questions the motives and the effects of George’s statements on the course of a case, which is pending a decision from the court.
The Facebook post on PC Geoge’s page questions the credibility of the attack on the actress. He has written that if the actress was indeed assaulted brutally, how was she able to join a film shooting two days later.
Referring to the MLA’s insensitive remarks, the actress asked in her letter, whether the course of action she should have taken was to commit suicide instead of resuming work.
George, who has repeatedly asserted that the accused, actor Dileep, had been framed, has also asked why there wasn’t any inquiry about the hospital the actress was treated in, to buttress his claims.
The actress has spoken about how despite her difficult time she made an effort to stay strong, supported by the film fraternity, and how callous comments by a people’s representative like George could turn public opinion against all such women who have been attacked.
Here are excerpts from the attacked actress’ letter:
Respected Chief Minister,
I never imagined I would have to write a letter like this. I am writing this letter since as the Chief Minister of the state you should be aware of defamatory statements by politician PC George against me.
I cannot explain the trauma I went through after the attack. I continue to survive only because of the feeling that I should not break. I have been trying to not lose confidence and strength since the day of the attack. This is knowing the fact that if I lose, it will be the loss of all the women who have been attacked like me. A member of a legislative assembly has asked, “How could she join a film if she was attacked on the day before”.
“I did not join a film shooting immediately after the attack. I was in my home for a week. I joined the film after friends and well-wishers from the film the industry constantly called me to come back to films and continue working. I don’t know if I could have made a comeback if not for the support from the film fraternity.”
“What do people like PC George think I should have done? Should I have taken my own life? Or should I have retreated to the dark corners of a mental asylum or a backyard of a house? Or should I have tried to be hidden from the eyes of society?"
“Following the statements by PC George, other politicians and leaders have issued similar statements supporting the accused. Women of this society should fear the social sentiment created by politicians like PC George. You must be aware of how this idea could turn into public opinion and could be used against womanhood. I am deeply disturbed about the effect a public opinion created by people, including a politician, could cause on the course of the case which is still before the court.”
Read the full letter here:
Excerpts from PC George's Facebook post:
"I had expressed that the culprits who assaulted the actress in Kochi should be scarred with blades and spread chilli powder over their wounds and send sent to jail. I still believe that an actor's name
was linked to the case and there has been a conspiracy to destroy him because of police's methods in investigating the case. I believe this because there are people who have a clean heart as well as those like Phoolan Devi's. There are many instances where these people destroyed the lives of innocents. "
PC George also gives four topics for 'feminists' to discuss:
1. Are the laws for protecting women being misused?
2. Do women of criminal tendencies and the people who use women like these take
advantage of the laws?
3. Are these laws used for abuse against men?
4. There are many families shattered by then blade mafia (loan sharks) using these
laws. I am sure that the chairperson of Women's Commission must know this fact.
You can read the complete Facebook post of PC George here.
The actress was attacked on February 17 by a group of men, whose was led by a man named Sunil Kumar aka ‘Pulsar’ Suni, who was her driver earlier.
According to evidence collected by the police, Pulsar Suni was hired by prominent actor Dileep. Dileep has been under arrest from July 25, 2017. As of August 11, The Kerala high Court had adjourned the hearing on the bail plea of Dileep to August 18.
Soon after the Women's Collective posted the actress' letter, PC George has written a note on his Facebook. The MLA mocking the Women's Commission's move against him for making derogatory comments against the assaulted actress and writes about an imaginary conversation between the 'chairperson' and associates about defaming popular figures to gain mileage politically.
