Manju Warrier gets a tip from minister for turning away from 'women wall'

Alappuzha: Malayalam film actress Manju Warrier who did an about-turn on her support to the 'women wall' drew flak from Kerala minister G Sudhakaran for terming the initiative as political. The minister said that it was time that the actor changed her 'looking glass'.

The state government decided to form a symbolic 'women wall' across the state on January 1 to counter the outfits which took to the streets in protest against a Supreme Court order allowing women of all age groups into Sabarimala. A slew of associations have backed the show of strength dubbed as a push to renaissance values. 

Manju had initially declared her support to the movement in a video posted on social media but corrected herself soon after, saying she was not aware of the political shades the 'wall' had assumed.

In a Facebook post Sunday, the actress said that she wished to keep away from political programmes organised by parties as her politics was confined to the artistic field.

The minister was not amused. “The 'women wall' is not political. The problem is with Manju Warrier’s looking glass. I have only respect for her as an actor,” Sudhakaran said in Alappuzha. He also criticised the Nair Service Society for opposing the initiative, contrasting the organisation's stand with its stand in early days when it was led by social reformists including its founder Mannanth Padmanabhan.

Minister M M Mani was also dismissive of Manju’s volte face. He said that Manju Warrier’s backtracking would not affect the 'women wall' in any way.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government had said the 'women wall' would be formed on January 1 from the northern district of Kasaragod to the Thiruvananthapuram to demonstrate the secular and progressive mindset of the state. The government called for the initiative after various right-wing outfits opposed the decision to implement the Supreme Court verdict.

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