Two days after the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) raised a volley of charges over the reinstatement of actor Dileep, accused in the actress attack case, the Association for Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on Monday sought to tread the middle path on the issue.
"The association do not have any opinion on whether Dileep is innocent or guilty in the case. The popular opinion was not to oust Dileep from AMMA before the court verdict. This reflected in the executive committee," AMMA spokesperson Jagadish said.
"We also want to see justice served for the victim," the actor added.
He further said AMMA was only happy to take back the actresses who had resigned in protest after Dileep was reinstated in the association. AMMA president Mohanlal had made it clear earlier also, he added.
The WCC had on Saturday slammed AMMA for allegedly showing 'bias' against the young actress who was abducted and molested in a moving car in Kochi last year.
In an emotionally charged press meet in Kochi, the WCC leaders said that instead of support, the leadership of the AMMA had been indulging in 'victim shaming' and publicly 'mocking' at women who had chosen to speak about the matter.
They also alleged that though AMMA is the lone such body in the Malayalam film industry, it was acting against the interests of women and was not a 'safe place' to discuss their issues.
A platform of women actors, directors, script writers and singers of the Malayalam industry, the WCC was launched soon after the shocking actress assault incident, to ensure gender justice and safeguard women's rights in the film world.
The WCC members have been on warpath since AMMA had decided to reinstate popular actor Dileep, who was arrested on charges of conspiracy in the actress assault case and later released on bail.
