KOCHI: The controversy surrounding Kochi Music Foundation’s (KMF) concert last year intensified on Monday with more prominent personalities coming out against the event’s organisers, including filmmaker Aashiq Abu, singer Shahbaz Aman and music director Bijibal.On Kerala Piravi day (November 1) last year, KMF had organised a musical event ‘Karuna’ at Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium at Kadavanthra here promising that the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) to help flood victims.
However, an RTI reply shared by Yuva Morcha secretary Sandeep G Varier on Facebook last week had revealed the chief minister’s office had not received the funds. This sparked a controversy with Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, in a Facebook post, demanding that Abu make public the fact whether he had donated the money to CMDRF. Abu then posted on Facebook the photograph of a cheque for `6.22 lakh made out to Principal Secretary (Finance), CMDRF.
In the post, Abu alleged that Hibi’s office had sought free passes for the event.
He also wondered on what grounds was Eden terming the event a ‘fraud’ as the organisers had not used any government funds. However, the parliamentarian did not let go, saying the cheque was dated February 14 which showed that the money was handed over to CMDRF after the issue snowballed into a controversy.
“It is hardly surprising. This is the new trend of Left supporters following in the footsteps of disciples of M M Mani (Electricity Minister), who had remitted the KSEB’s salary challenge donation to CMDRF after the issue became a controversy,” Eden said in his latest Facebook post.
‘Don’t use my name’
District Collector S Suhas has asked Kochi Music Foundation not to use his name as patron of the foundation. The collector’s response came in the wake of a Facebook post by KMF which stated that he was the patron of the event.