By Express News Service
KOLLAM: Activists of Indian National Congress (INC), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) marched to the offices of actor-turned MLAs M Mukesh and K B Ganeshkumar on Tuesday for coming out openly in favour of Dileep during the June 29 AMMA [Association of Malayalam Movie Artists] general body meeting.
Following Dileep's arrest on Monday, the protesters told the two MLAs that their support for him makes a mockery of justice.
Earlier in the day, Congress supporters led by District Congress Committee (DCC) president Bindu Krishna performed a symbolic exile of Mukesh from the district by throwing an effigy of the actor into the sea at Kollam Beach.
Under fire, actor and CPM MLA Mukesh changed his stance and praised the government for arresting the actor despite his status.
By arresting Dileep, the CPM government has proved that it will not protect any offenders, no matter what
his or her status is, he said.
He added that he is fully satisfied with the police investigation so far, and expressed shock at Dileep's involvement in the case.
“I am shocked. When a person who has worked with me for so many years and is like a brother to me said that he is innocent and had nothing to do with the case, I had to believe him. At that time, there was no concrete reason to disbelieve him. But as now since he is arrested I have taken a strong stance against him. AMMA also initiated action to suspend him from the organization’s primary membership," he said.
When asked to explain his downright support to the accused actor, Mukesh said he had never taken a one-sided stance and added that the victim was like a ‘sister’ to him.
In another development, the CPM district committee summoned M Mukesh. On July 4, the party decided to censure Mukesh for his outburst against media at the press briefing, which followed the AMMA general body meeting.
Meanwhile, referring to Dileep's arrest, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said anybody who has committed a crime will be punished regardless of his/her status.
He said the government has directed former state police chief T P Senkumar and the incumbent chief Loknath Behera to carry out a strong probe in the case.
