How Hema Committee report has left Kerala's ruling CPI (M) in a fix

The Justice Hema Committee report has kicked up a political storm in Kerala.

The three-member panel, led by retired Kerala High Court judge K Hema, was established in 2017 in the aftermath of the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep.

The publication of the long-awaited report has revealed the inner workings of the Malayalam film industry and the exploitation of women within the business.

It has also left the ruling CPI (M) in a tough spot.

Let’s take a closer look:

Justice delayed…

For one thing, the Hema committee report has taken years to reach the public.

The panel had submitted a 295-page report to the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2019.

As per Indian Express, questions are already being posed to the CPI (M) led-ruling LDF in Kerala about the delay.

The ruling government was reportedly waiting for the result of an actress’ plea against the publication of the report.

The release of the report, which was slated to be released on July 24, was also put on hold by the Kerala High Court after a Malayalam film producer moved a plea against it.

The court dismissed the plea on August 13 and ordered the government to make the report public within a week.

As per Indian Express, some of those named in the sexual harassment scandal engulfing the Malayalam film industry have links to the ruling CPI (M).

The newspaper reported that actor Minu Maneer on Monday accused two-time CPI (M) MLA M Mukesh of misconduct.

That came just a day after director Ranjith, another person with links to CPI (M) accused of sexual misconduct by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra, resigned as chairperson of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy.

The government had faced enormous pressure to get Ranjith to resign.

A day after the release of the report, actor Shammi Thilakan had accused KB Ganesh Kumar – currently a minister in the Vijayan government – as one of those who had imposed an unofficial ‘ban’ on his late father, the actor Thilakan.

The report had pointed to the existence of a group of influential men – known as the “mafia” – which dominates the industry.

This “mafia” which comprises top producers, directors, and actors, is said to levy unofficial “bans” on anyone who brings scrutiny upon the industry.

“Though he is one of the best actors in the industry whose ability is undisputed, he could be kept away from the industry, when the 10 to 15 joined hands to ban him from cinema. The above artist had to leave cinema and become a serial artist. But there also, he could not escape from the clutches of the powerful lobby. During that time, the president of ATMA was also a cine actor,” the report said.

Shammi told New Indian Express, “What the report said is right. Ganesh worked in favour of the gang of 15, which controls the Malayalam film industry, to ban Thilakan even from serials. In a meeting of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), one star insulted Thilakan and shouted at him, asking him to get out of the meeting. The same star came to visit my father when he was hospitalised in a critical state. He told me that Thilakan was like a Bappa (father) to him.”

“They ousted Thilakan from AMMA. After my father’s death in 2018, I raised the issue of defaming Thilakan during an AMMA executive meeting. The then president Mohanlal said the committee could address the issue and justice should be delivered to Thilakan chettan. There was an opinion that AMMA should apologise to Thilakan. I told them to form a committee to look into the matter. However, nothing happened. Later, a senior actor told me that apologising to Thilakan would affect their image,” he added.

Kumar has been quoted as saying that he cannot comment on the issue.

“I can’t comment on this issue right now. The cultural affairs minister, who has already clarified, should address it. As the minister for transport, I find the media’s relentless pursuit unnecessary and distressing,” he said, as per The Wire.

“No one in the film industry has complained to me so far. If anyone comes to me with such an issue, I would have raised my voice for them,” Kumar added.

Opposition alleges cover-up, govt vows justice

The Opposition has taken aim at the ruling government, accusing it of a cover-up.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan was quoted as saying by Indian Express, “By remaining idle on the Hema Committee report, the government covered up a series of sexual offences. It shows the government is trying to safeguard the interests of persons close to it.’

Satheesan took aim at Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan.

“Sexual exploitation, including assaults under the POCSO Act, had happened. Still, the Cultural Affairs Minister is saying that a film conclave will be held to discuss the issues,” Satheesan told reporters in Chempazhanthy.

“A heap of complaints made by the government. The inaction on the part of the government is a crime. Whose interest did the government want to protect by hushing up a chain of atrocities? The exploitation in the film industry should be stopped, and all crimes should be probed,” Satheesan was quoted as saying by India Today.

Let the people of the state evaluate a cultural affairs minister who speaks about conducting a conclave when such serious offences have been reported, he added.

Senior BJP leader and former union minister V Muraleedharan also attacked Cheriyan, alleging that he had also become part of the crime by not taking any action over the report.

“Saji Cheriyan has no moral right to continue in his position. The Vijayan government has failed to protect the rights of women and children and ensure safe living conditions in the state,” Muraleedharan said.

BJP state president K Surendran added, “Why did the government want to cover up the names of the perpetrators of the atrocities? The government should ensure that there is a safe working atmosphere for women in the industry.”

But the government rejected the charges and made it clear that it had already started measures to implement the recommendations and suggestions made by the Committee.

“The government is always with the victims…and with the women community,” Cheriyan told reporters.

Cheriyan said the government would discuss all aspects of the report and would take further action in the necessary areas.

“It was Justice Hema who had first said that the report should not have been published because of its confidential nature,” the minister said, adding that a proposed cinema conclave, to be organised by the government, would discuss all these issues.

Indian Express quoted CPI (M) state secretary MV Govindan as saying, “As the revelations emerge, many people will have to quit. We will also implement whatever the court directive is on the Hema report. But the media is engaged in a campaign against the government in the guise of the report,’’ he said.

 What do experts say?

Some experts have argued that the government has seemingly turned a blind eye to the rot within the Malayalam film industry.

An article in Deccan Herald claimed that the government, despite having the report in its possession for the past few years, seemed more focused on the potential economic prospects of the industry.

“…Kerala cultural affairs minister Saji Cheriyan, who also holds the cinema portfolio, was concerned more about how the allegations could affect the flourishing Malayalam film industry than the allegation itself,” the piece alleged.

It said that the government, despite allegations being made, chose not to act citing a lack of ‘specific complaints.’

“Various announcements of the government like bringing in legislation to regulate the film industry also remained as momentary interventions, with almost no further actions,” the piece noted.

A piece in Indian Express also skewered the Kerala government’s priorities.

_“_For example, the debate on whether it was “Hema Committee” or “Hema Commission” (with their different implications of power) seemed to outweigh the need to urgently curb the abuse, sexual violence, and rampant exploitation of women in Malayalam cinema which the report brings to light on the basis of evidence collected diligently in government-approved ways,” the piece noted.

“The Kerala government may try its best to dilute action, to divert attention, but the discourse that the report has triggered in Kerala cannot be curbed so easily.”

A piece in The News Minute contended that the government and groups like the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) had been content to put the onus of taking action on the aggrieved women.

“…the state government and film bodies seem to continue to insist only upon traditional evidence such as witnesses and digital records such as saved chats, screenshots or phone calls, and puts the onus on individual women to prove that they are not indulging in mere defamation,” the piece argued.

The piece stated that only the government could offer a grievance redressal mechanism in the Malayalam film industry.

“In such a scenario, does it not become the duty of the state government to provide women a redressal mechanism without forcing them to flounder in a legal maze?” the piece questioned.

With inputs from agencies