The Kochi Corporation and the Public Works Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju have come down heavily on actor Jayasurya for his ‘good samaritan’ act of repairing a pot holed road in Kochi City, last week.
“How can you agree if someone takes the law into his own hands on the ground that some police officers are found doing wrong?”, the Kochi mayor asked Express. “It was okay if done as way of protest, like many letting out ducks and placing plantains in pot holes. But if it was genuine road repairing, it should have been done in a professional manner and I am not sure whether Jayasurya has any previous experience in repairing roads. We cannot agree if it was done just for publicity,” he said.
The mayor said the road metal that was scattered soon after the repair works were causing a threat to the two and three wheelers as well as pedestrians. “I am forced to make these comments against the actor’s act as I have received various complaints in this regard”, he added.
The PWD Minister echoed the mayor’s words. “There are clear rules and regulations for repairing any kind of road. Someone is inviting danger when just sprinkling the pot holes with metal. I am agreeing with the mayor in this regard”, he said.
However, terming his act as a natural reaction of a citizen, Jayasurya said he is ready to apologise if it was wrong. “My act was not for publicity but a reaction as two young men lost their lives on a pot holed road at Tripunithura. I was inspired by the act of Justice Thottathil Radhakrishnan who had cleaned up a drainage in front of his house. A club in Moovattupuzha has repaired the local roads in the same manner as I did. I am ready to apologise before the authorities if I have committed any mistake”, he said.
On July 20, around 10 pm, the actor arrived at the spot near Menaka Bus stop along with his friends to fill up the potholes with metal.