Kochi: Actor Jagadish, Siddique spar over Collective

Kochi: Underlining the deep difference of opinion in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, AMMA treasurer Jagadish has come out in the open criticising Siddique for his statements against the members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC).

Jagadish told DC on Tuesday that Siddique’s comments asking for apologies from the resigned actors were not humanitarian. “They (WCC members) are not our servants to make apologies before coming back. They are our colleagues. Siddique’s statements cannot be AMMA’s opinion. Such statements cannot be any organisation’s opinion,” he said.

Jagadish said that his press note, which Siddique earlier claimed to be not the official opinion of AMMA, was issued after discussing it with president Mohanlal. “I have discussed it with Mohanlal and it was released with his knowledge and concurrence. He wanted a liberal approach in this matter. I don’t know why he (Siddique) spoke like that,” he said.

“Mohanlal is willing to call a general body meeting and he had already announced it in the early EC meeting,” he said and added that he had sent the statement to the WhatsApp group of the executive committee and that the members had appreciated it.

Siddique had earlier said that he was not aware of such a statement.

Jagadish said that every statement they had said on Monday was controversial and could be harmful to them. “If she (KPAC Lalitha) was forcibly brought before the press, it’s very sad,” he said. “Their statements are controversial,” he added.

However, the voice clips of Jagadish and Baburaj which became public severely criticised the press meet held by Siddique and KPAC Lalitha.

Jagadish reportedly said in the voice clip that goondaism will not be allowed in the association. “There is no higher post other than that of the president and the stand taken by him will be the official stand. All the executive members will stand with his mature decision. All the threats to end one’s career and to isolate a person for voicing his opinion won’t be allowed in the organisation,” Jagadish said in the voice clip.

He also said that he is a disciplined person and asked others not to provoke him to speak against anyone in the public though he knows everyone’s history.

“I am going in a Gandhian way, don’t make me the character of Fahad Fazil in the movie Varathan. I don’t think I had ever made a mistake,” he said.

Meanwhile, Baburaj warned about voicing support to the accused Dileep in the name of the organisation. “With whose knowledge was the press meet called by Siddique and KPAC Lalitha? Nothing is clear. She (KPAC Lalitha) is only a member. Edavela Babu just sent a message stating this is A.M.M.A’s stand. 

Whose stand? I am saying this as my last warning. Is there any super body working in AMMA besides the executive committee? Statements supporting Dileep cannot be allowed in the name of the association,” said Baburaj in the voice clip.

The press note issued by Jagadish had noted that a general body will be convened shortly to discuss the allegations and demands put forward by the WCC