CPM leaders involved, JP Nadda criticises Kerala govt over Hema panel report – Kerala News

BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Sunday attacked the Kerala government for not taking action on the Justice Hema Committee report. He also alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was hiding something because CPM leaders are involved in it.

“I am very sorry to say that the Hema Commission report has very specifically said that people from the Communist Party are involved in it. The Chief Minister should come out,” Nadda said during a conversation with eminent personalities from various disciplines in Palakkad in Kerala.

The Justice Hema Committee’s extensive and explosive report, made public on August 19, highlights the power nexus in the Malayalam cinema industry and the sexual exploitation faced by women in the industry.

“Why the delay in giving justice to the Hema Commission report? What is stopping them (the Kerala government)? What is haunting you? Because you are part of it. It is something you want to hide because your people are involved in it,” Nadda said.

The Justice Hema Committee report, in its assessment of the working conditions of women professionals in ‘Mollywood’, has revealed that the Malayalam film industry is in the grip of a powerful, all-male ‘mafia’ and is plagued by the ‘casting couch’ syndrome and systematic exploitation of women, with those who refuse to commit or dare to speak out risking their careers being destroyed. The report, submitted to the Kerala government in December 2019, was made public only on August 19.

According to the report’s findings, based on the testimonies of numerous actresses and technicians, women working in the Malayalam film industry are forced to provide sex on demand at shooting locations, otherwise they would be punished and harassed by the all-powerful mafia.

So far, at least 10 cases have been filed against Malayalam film personalities, including actors, directors, production heads etc., who have been accused of sexual harassment by several women after the report was released on August 19.

Directors VK Prakash and Ranjith, actors Siddiqui, Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju and Idavela Babu, advocate Chandrasekharan, production controllers Noble and Vhich have been accused of sexual abuse.