THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: B Unnikrishnan, general secretary of Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) has resigned from the panel formed by the state government to formulate the film policy of Kerala. He had tendered his resignation on September 8 to the Cultural department.
Unnikrishnan’s resignation came in the wake of the demand from director Vinayan (TG Vinaya Kumar) to remove him from the panel for his alleged unethical practices in the field of cinema. On Thursday, Vinayan also approached Kerala High Court challenging the inclusion of him in the panel as it violated the neutrality of the panel.
However, B Unnikrishnan told TNIE that he had submitted the letter requesting the government to remove him from the panel on September 8, the day after the last sitting of the panel was held in Kochi.
“The panel has entrusted an agency to draft the film policy and data collection. The next sitting is scheduled to be held with FEFKA. When I reported this to the steering committee of the FEFKA, they had asked me to represent the organisation. There is a move to place the film industry under an Entertainment Regulatory Act. However, we as a trade union are fighting all the cases in labour courts since most of the cases are related to labour problems. Hence, we have to present very serious issues to the panel and I also thought that I have to represent FEFKA and bring before them these issues”, he said.
Director Vinayan has also sought his removal from the committee on the basis of the Competition Commission of India order finding Unnikrishnan and other film organisation office bearers responsible for 'banning' Vinayan and some actors.