THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is official. Actor M Mukesh can now concentrate on fighting the cases registered against him after the survivors alleged sexual misbehaviour -violence in the aftermath of the MeToo movement that stirred up a hornet’s nest in Malayalam film industry.
After serious deliberations in which many leaders, including women members, cautioned about any kind of intervention in the inquiry and legal course of action by the government, the CPM state committee on Saturday decided to accept the state leadership’s point that until proven guilty Mukesh should be given the benefit of doubt. However, Mukesh will be dropped from the panel constituted to formulate the film policy. The CPM’s decision came in the wake of the opposition calling for the actor’s resignation.
Speaking to media after the meeting, state secretary M V Govindan said that though there are 16 MPs and 135 MLAs who are facing such charges across the country, no one has tendered their resignation. “Two Congress MLAs are facing sexual abuse charges. One was even jailed and cases were charged against them. Late Oommen Chandy, P K Kunhalikutty, A P Anil Kumar, Hibi Edan, A Peethambara Kurup and Sashi Tharoor had also faced such allegations and none resigned the post of MLA or MP.
"If a minister faces such a charge they could resign from the post of minister as they are holding executive posts. However, they could be reinstated once they are found innocent. But, if an MLA resigns the post, he cannot be reinstated if he is found innocent as it is an elected post,” Govindan said.
Govindan also dismissed the demand of the opposition that Mukesh should resign on moral grounds. “If someone resigns as MLA on moral grounds, they cannot be reinstated on legal grounds.”
He also dismissed the statement made by PB member Brinda Karat in an article that the Left should not use diversionary arguments in sexual abuse allegations, and said that what he said is the position of the party secretariat and state committee. “CPM is not protecting Mukesh. No benefit will be given to the actor as an MLA. Justice will be delivered to all,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the state committee discussion, most of the women who spoke asked the leadership not to allow any kind of intervention in the probe. While presenting the issue, Govindan told the committee: “This is a peculiar crisis being faced by the party. On one hand there is no precedence of resignation of MLAs in such cases. However, there is a question of morality also,” he said. The members said no intervention should be made to help the accused actor and he should face the legal course of action as the rest of the accused. The investigation and handling of the case should be fair. They also demanded that Mukesh be removed from the panel to formulate film policy. Govindan replied that it has already been decided to drop him from the panel. And, it was also decided that the case should take its natural course of action.
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