Kochi: Scores of movie buffs have come out in his support of AMMA president and Malayalam actor Mohanlal, who has been at the receiving end of the political ire over the reinstatement of actor Dileep to the film artists' body.
The fans associations of the star held rallies at Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, hours after the Youth Congress and KSU workers took out a protest march to the superstar's home. Fans of Malayalam megastar Mammootty too reportedly joined the Lal fans. Fans alleged that Mohanal was being needlessly crucified over the reinstatement of Dileep, accused in 2017 actress attack case.
Earlier in the day, political workers placed a wreath near the gate of Mohanlal's house protesting AMMA's (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) decision to take back Dileep and raised slogans against Mohanlal for his silence on the issue.
The workers said this decision by AMMA, a cultural organisation, was a 'humiliation' for Kerala society.
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They said they are with the actress, who was sexually assaulted in a moving car in February last year.
A group of AIYF activists had yesterday burnt the effigy of Mohanlal here over the issue.
Meanwhile, the Film Employees Federation of Kerala, which met here on Friday to discuss the Dileep issue, said they are with the actress and that the actor would not be its member till he proves his innocence in a court of law.
Dilieep had on Thursday said he would not be an active worker of any organisation till his innocence was proved.
He made his stand clear after Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) demanded an emergency executive meeting of AMMA to discuss the issue and several state ministers attacking him and the film body.
After the February 2017 incident, Dileep had been removed from the association's primary membership.
But in a sudden move, AMMA reinstated his membership on June 24, triggering widespread protests.
The actor was arrested on charges of conspiracy in the case related to the abduction and sexual assault of a south Indian actress in February, 2017 and later released on bail.
The actress, who was assaulted, had resigned on Tuesday from AMMA with three other actors too putting in their papers to express solidarity with her.
In a letter on Thursday, prominent actresses and WCC members Revathy, Parvathy and Padmapriya demanded that AMMA convene a meeting immediately to examine the desirability of Dileep's reinstatement.
The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and assaulted in her car for two hours by the accused in a moving car on February 17, 2017, and later escaped in a busy area.
