AMMA withdraws from conclave; Government’s initiative to resolve crisis suffers setback

Kochi: In a setback for the government, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) has decided not to participate in the ‘conclave’ proposed by the government to discuss the issues mentioned in the Hema Committee report. With this, it has become almost certain that the conclave will not happen, as the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) had already announced their decision not to participate in the conclave. Opposition parties have also declared that they will not allow the government to organise the conclave.

As allegations and counter-allegations have been coming thick and fast from various quarters following the release of the Hema Committee report, the withdrawal of AMMA and WCC from the proposed conclave has put the government on the spot, as their first step in the direction of resolving the issues has faced a backlash from the very beginning.

Actress Parvathy Thiruvothu’s statement that it is impossible for the victims to share the stage with the predators had already ruffled the feathers of AMMA and the government. Incensed by Parvathy’s statement, Minister M B Rajesh had come out lashing against the statement, questioning how one could reach a conclusion that the predators and victims would be brought together even before the details of the conclave were finalised.

During the press conference of AMMA on Friday, general secretary Siddique said that they had not received any invite from the government regarding the conclave and AMMA had no idea about the intentions of the government regarding the term ‘conclave’. However, during the executive committee meeting of AMMA, the members had expressed their strong dissent, stating that if AMMA were to participate in the conclave, they would have to bear the image of ‘predators’ as mentioned in Parvathy’s statement. Following this, the committee decided not to participate in the conclave.

FEFKA, the association of technicians in Malayalam cinema, is of the same opinion.

Meanwhile, V D Satheesan, leader of the opposition, has reiterated the Congress's stand that they will not allow the government to organise the conclave. To make things worse, CPI leader Annie Raja has also expressed her protest against the idea of the conclave.

With announcements of non-cooperation from film industry organisations and public outrage over the concept of the conclave, the government has found itself in a tricky position regarding the announcement of the conclave, which has been criticised by all as a decision taken in haste.