Filmmaker Aashiq Abu expressed his dissatisfaction over the state government's handling of the Hema Commission report and criticised the government for failing to take any action regarding the findings mentioned in the report. “I have a lot of issues with the government's stance. Apart from the delay in releasing the report, it is unfortunate that the authorities are only ready to take action against the culprits if the victims file a police complaint,” he said.
He also questioned the government's lack of transparency in releasing the full report. “The government should answer who is concealing the information, if they are adamant that they don't have anything to hide,” said the director.
He also criticised the silence of the various film associations regarding the report. “I am not confident that they will give proper answers. When there is an issue within the industry, it is the responsibility of the respective associations to speak up. However, they have all failed to do so,” he said. Though the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) held a press conference to respond to the issue on Friday, most of the questions still remain unanswered.
Earlier today, Manorama News reported that the government released only 233 pages of the report, excluding sections that could infringe on the privacy of the individuals mentioned. The omitted portions include paragraphs 97 to 107 from pages 49 to 53, as well as sections from pages 81 to 100 and pages 165 to 196. AMMA, meanwhile, has decided to respond to the Hema Commission report at 3pm on Friday. The body's general seceratary Siddique will address the media for the first time since the damning report on the rampant sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry came out on August 19 after a wait of five years.
