Kerala’s Unprecedented Intervention in Film Industry: CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Historic Move

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday stressed that no state government has intervened in the film industry like Kerala, thanks to the Justice Hema Committee. This intervention, he noted, was made possible by the Left government in power.

Vijayan encouraged all those who had given statements to the Hema committee, and also those who had not, to file complaints with the police, and promised a thorough investigation into all complaints. He referred to the brutal rape and murder of a woman doctor in West Bengal to underscore the ongoing national debate on women’s safety.

Vijayan particularly criticised the release of the accused in the Bilkis Bano case by a right-wing organisation, saying it sent a wrong message to society. While other states lagged behind, Kerala had moved ahead with precise policies to ensure the safety of women. The Justice Hema Committee, formed after the 2017 actress attack case, had exposed significant exploitation and harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry, leading to state-level investigations and calls for similar panels across the country.

(With input from agencies.)