Hema Committee report: Vijayan govt left reeling as actor-turned-CPI-M MLA faces allegations, opposition steps up attack

Amid the storm caused by the Justice Hema Committee report's sordid revelations of mistreatment and sexual exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry and its handling of the issue, the Pinarayi Vijayan government on Monday came under further pressure as actor-turned-CPI-M legislator Mukesh was accused of misbehaviour by a former woman actor, and opposition parties demanded his resignation. 

The Vijayan government has been facing flak since the long-delayed report came out and the situation was exacerbated when two leading film personalities had to step down from their posts when two different women actors came forward to accuse them of sexual harassment.

Both AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes) General Secretary Siddique and Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Chairman and film icon Ranjith quit their posts on Sunday in the wake of the allegations.

Even as these developments were being taken up by the media and the opposition parties, more allegations followed, including against Mukesh.

Actress Minu Muneer on Monday said she faced bad experiences with Mukesh, popular actors Manian Pillai Raju, Jayasurya and AMMA's former General Secretary Edavela Babu from 2008 to 2013, following which she left the film industry.

Both the BJP and the Congress held protests against Mukesh and their activists marched towards his office and residence at Kollam, demanding his resignation as a legislator.

Meanwhile, Raju said that he was convalescing after surgery and was not able to react earlier.

"It's natural that more and more allegations will now surface from those who were not successful in the industry. My take is to let there be a probe," he said, citing the case of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who also faced widespread allegations.

On Monday only, popular actress Gita Vijayan said she faced a bad experience at the hands of director Tulasidas in the early 1990s, but he quickly denied any bad behaviour on his part.

"Perhaps I might have got angry with her when she acted and that’s quite natural. We all remember it was on an extremely high note that we wound up the shooting of the film that she acted," said Tulasidas.

Meanwhile, AMMA Joint Secretary and popular actor Baburaj, who was, in all likelihood, set to take over as Secretary got a rude jolt when a former junior artiste said that she was called to his house in 2019 to discuss a film project and a sexual advance was made on her.

"I brought the complaint to the notice of the police then itself. Now even though our family is based outside Kerala, I will pursue this complaint. I got a call from a woman police official and I have told her (about it)," said the former junior artiste.

Incidentally soon after the resignations of Siddique and Ranjith, the Vijayan government decided to form a high-level police team, comprising four women IPS officers to be led by a male officer.

The team, which was to have its first meeting on Tuesday to decide its way forward, held an online meeting on Monday itself following more complaints surfacing. It has been decided that it will only be the woman officials who will be meeting and taking statements from the women complainants.

However, Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan expressed his doubts about the team.

"We have serious doubts about the Vijayan government and their sincerity in going forward with the probe. What was the need to ask a male police official to lead the team? When the team was constituted, there was not a word mentioned about the Hema Committee, hence we have our own doubts," the Congress leader said.

Meanwhile, there are claims that the Vijayan government tried its best to protect Ranjith because of his alleged closeness to the son of CPI-M state Secretary M.V.Govindan, who is also a budding film personality.

A section of the CPI-M is also upset with Mukesh and it surfaced when the Minister of State for Higher Education R.Bindhu said that a probe is necessary into the allegations.

"Let it take place as no innocent person should be taken to task, while the wrongdoer should be dealt with," she said.

In a related development, dubbing artiste Bhagyalekshmi, known for her strong and vocal position on the rights of women in the film industry, said she received a call on her mobile and after a polite conversation, the caller threatened her of dire consequences, if she does not keep quiet on this issue.

"I will register a complaint with the police against the caller whose mobile number I have,” said Bhagyalekshmi.