KALPETTA: Responding to the controversy that arose during Mammootty’s visit to the township built for survivors of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide, CPM Wayanad district secretary K Rafeek said the actor called him personally to clarify the situation and stressed that there was no misunderstanding between them.
In a Facebook post, Rafeek explained that he happened to be present at the site in connection with another programme when Mammootty visited the township set up for victims of the devastating 2024 landslides. According to him, his intervention at the site was purely out of concern that the crowd and commotion there could cause inconvenience to the actor.
“As a public representative, it is natural for us to receive guests visiting the township if we are present there,” Rafeek said.
He noted that Mammootty had expressed a concern that Rafeek’s presence at the event could be interpreted politically. Rafeek said he understood the actor’s point that such interactions might be misread in a different context.
Rafeek further revealed that Mammootty later called him directly over the phone and clarified the matter, reiterating that there was no issue between them.
The CPM leader also alleged that certain media outlets and cyber groups attempted to weaponise a private conversation to create controversy. According to him, this amplified the issue unnecessarily and gave it a political dimension.
The CPM leader said such controversies should not overshadow the significance of the township project, which was established as part of the government’s rehabilitation efforts for victims of the devastating landslides Rafeek wrote that Mammootty’s visit to the township was a moment of happiness for everyone.
Minister Riyas defends CPM dist secy amid row over Mammootty’s visit
Kozhikode: Kerala Tourism and PWD Minister P A Mohamed Riyas on Sunday defended the actions of CPM Wayanad district secretary K Rafeek amid the controversy surrounding actor Mammootty’s recent visit to the township project built for survivors of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide. The minister said CPM district secretaries are not people who “barge into situations,” and stressed that Rafeek had been actively involved in relief and rehabilitation work in the disaster-hit region. He stated that Rafeek visited the township area in that capacity and not with any intention of interfering in the actor’s visit.