Hema Committee report ripples: After AMMA, film body FEFKA comes in line of fire

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 28 (IANS) The repercussions of the explosive Justice Hema Committee report, which revealed a host of undesirable activities in the Malayalam film industry, particularly against women, have now embroiled another film organisation after the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), with the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) now in the dock.

A combine of 21 trade unions, which includes those for drivers to light boys to directors, the FEFKA had been silent after the release of the Hema Committee report. There was also surprise that it's otherwise vocal General Secretary B.Unnikrishnan did not utter a word.

But on Wednesday, the FEFKA released a statement, demanding disclosure of the names of all the wrong-doers, and a spat soon began with popular director and actor Ashiq Abu slamming Unnikrishnan.

Unnikrishnan, in the statement, said that the names of all who misbehaved have to come out. "Now that the entire AMMA committee has resigned and it can be seen as a cleansing process. Since the matter is sub-judice, it’s improper to speak on it. We are going to have a three-day meeting starting September 2nd where we will discuss the Hema report threadbare," said Unnikrishnan.

In his strong reaction, Abu said: "The need of the hour was not a statement from the FEFKA but they should have come out in the open and spoken to the media, instead of like being in hiding."

Attacking the General Secretary, he said: "It has now come to the stage that Unnikrishnan is FEFKA and FEFKA is Unnikrishnan, but that’s not the case. Unnikrishnan is a fake leftist and he should be removed as a member of the proposed committee formed to draft a new Cinema Bill as all what he says is not the FEFKA version but only his."

With fissures developing in the FEFKA and Unnikrishnan’s leadership now being openly questioned, it remains to be seen what the impact will be as he is known to be a very close aide of Mohanlal, who was the President of the AMMA, but had stepped down on Tuesday, barely months after beginning his third three-year term, along with the entire executive after six AMMA members came under a cloud following revelations of being sexually harassed or exploited by various female actors.

Meanwhile, talks have begun about a new leadership to take over at AMMA and there are reports the name of a leading actress is also being considered for the post of either President or General Secretary.

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