KOCHI: With the LDF government on the defensive following the Kafir screenshot controversy and the Hema Committee report, the Congress-led UDF is seeking to leverage the momentum by launching campaigns and protests to bring these issues to the forefront.
UDF leaders believe that in light of the recent formation of a special investigation team and the revelations of sexual assault by women in the film industry, coupled with the mass resignation of the AMMA executive committee members, the Left government is shielding those implicated in the Hema Committee report.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has accused the government of protecting perpetrators instead of victims by failing to include the Hema Committee report findings under the purview of the special investigation team, which comprises seven IPS officers, four of whom are women.
UDF will organise a protest in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on September 2 highlighting the state government’s anti-women stand demanding that actors who have been named in the Hema Committee report should be booked.
The Congress and UDF are also demanding the resignation of actor-MLA M Mukesh, who faces sexual harassment allegations. They oppose Mukesh’s inclusion in the cinema policy-making committee and his participation in the proposed film conclave. Both V D Satheesan and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala have stated that it is up to Mukesh and the CPM to decide whether he should resign on moral grounds.
“Let him and the CPM decide,” Satheesan told TNIE. He also asked the chief minister why no action has been taken on the Hema Committee report, which uncovered a series of crimes, adding that the government has redacted more pages and paragraphs than directed by the State Information Commission for its release. Satheesan raised five questions to the CM regarding the inaction on the report.
Earlier, the Congress state leadership issued a statement accusing the state government of attempting to protect certain individuals by not acting on the Justice Hema Committee report.
“Kerala society expected immediate intervention from the government on the report. But the government chose to protect the culprits,” the KPCC said, criticising Mukesh’s inclusion in the film conclave and the policy-making committee.
The KPCC also condemned the government’s stance that a case would be filed only if a formal complaint is received, despite the report revealing instances of sexual violence and exploitation.