Director Ranjith in a scene from Koode
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
Opposition leader VD Satheesan has demanded the registration of filmmaker Ranjith from the post of chairman of Kerala Chalachithra Academy in the wake of a Bengali woman actor accusing him of harassing her.
Talking to the media here on Saturday (August 24, 2024), Mr. Satheesan said while he agreed with Culture Minister Saji Cherian’s statement that Ranjith had made big contributions to Malayalam cinema, he expected Mr. Ranjith to step down in the wake of the allegation. “There’s a need to investigate the charge against Mr. Ranjith,” he said.
While the Opposition did not intend to besmirch the innocents, its pro-women stance remained steadfast. The stance of the government that it would not investigate the allegations had cast a shadow over the film world, Mr. Satheesan said.
He took potshots at Minister Mr. Cherian for citing the solar scam-related case against former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy as an example. “It comes from an admission of guilt. That’s why the minister said the move to slap a case against the late Mr. Chandy turned out to be a futile exercise,” he said.
In light of the government’s reluctance to file cases based on the revelations in the Hema Committee report unless the survivors came forward to complain, Mr. Cherian should step down as minister as his stances are “in violation of his oath of office”, Mr. Satheesan said.
#Satheesan #demands #Ranjiths #resignation #film #academy #chairman
