'What an escape'; director Vinayan scoffs at B Unnikrishnan's decision to resign from film policy formulation panel

Film director Vinayan mocked FEFKA General Secretary B. Unnikrishnan’s decision to voluntarily resign from the film policy formulation panel.

"A person convicted by the Supreme Court and the Competition Commission of India for the charge of denial of employment and unfair prohibitions in the film industry, sitting in the film policy formulation panel is egregious. No court in India will accept such a thing," said Vinayan.

VINAYAN:

I saw the news about Unnikrishnan stepping down from the Cinema Policy Formulation Committee. It was not a stepping down but an escape. A person convicted by the Supreme Court and the Competition Commission of India for the charge of denial of employment and unfair prohibitions in the film industry, sitting in the film policy formulation panel is egregious. No court in India will accept such a thing. He decided to step down when the High Court was about to consider the case.

Just a few days back, I heard him saying that his inclusion in the committee was not for personal gain but a chance to hear the voices of workers within the industry. But what changed now?

It is good that he stepped down before the court ruling that a labour denier cannot sit on that committee.

Mr Unnikrishnan's participation in the government committee held in Ernakulam on 7th September was a challenge to the legal system of the country. The FEFKA General Secretary also made vainglorious statements about feeling pride in getting punished by the Competition Commission of India.

So what about the Supreme Court? Is the Supreme Court decision against you also because the court dislikes trade unions? Didn’t you assign top-tier lawyers in SC to fight the battle with me? Then why not go against the Supreme Court too?

In any case, sections 137 to 141 of the Hema Committee's report should be read by all Malayalam cinema workers. In these sections, it is mentioned how these people fawned the superstars of industry to destroy a trade union in 2008.

I approached the High Court only because I felt it was my responsibility to prevent such a person from continuing on the committee. And I also felt the need not to disturb the honourable culture minister with these trivial matters.