Hema Committee Report Effect - AMMA Secretary Siddique Resigns Following #MeToo Allegations

Siddique, a veteran Malayalam actor, resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A.) on Sunday, August 25. This comes a day after an actress alleged being sexually abused by him.

What did Siddique say about resigning from AMMA?

According to a report in PTI, Siddique spoke to the media and said he had sent his resignation letter to the President of the organisation, Mohanlal. "Yes. I have tendered my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I have decided not to continue in the post and resigned," Siddique said.

How did AMMA members react to Siddique's decision to resign?

Several members of A.M.M.A. welcomed the decision of the veteran actor to step down from his post in the wake of the allegations. AMMA Vice President Jayan Cherthala told the media that it was inappropriate for Siddique to continue in the position even after serious allegations cropped up against him.

Actor Anoop Chandran said he sent an email to A.M.M.A. president Mohanlal in the morning detailing the necessity of seeking Siddique's resignation from the position. He said, "The continuation of a person, facing serious allegations, in the post is actually an insult to the entire organisation. So I said in the email that if Siddique was not ready to step down on his own, the executive committee should be prepared to oust him."  Actress Mala Parvathy also supported the decision and said it was "morally and ethically correct". She added "The actor's resignation is inevitable...it is an appropriate decision. If that victim woman showed the courage to come in front of society and detailed the trauma she underwent publically, we should understand the intensity of pain and humiliation she had suffered," Parvathy said.

Revathy Sampath alleges misbehaviour and verbal harassment by Siddique

As reported by news agency ANI, Revathy accused Siddique of sexual misconduct. She alleged that the incident happened when she was 21 years old. She shared that Siddique initially contacted her on Facebook, addressing her as "Mole," a term often used in Kerala to refer to a young girl or daughter. "After completing my Plus Two, I had a terrible experience. Siddique sent me messages on Facebook. I had come to discuss a film. This incident occurred when I was 21 years old. He first approached me by calling me 'Mole.' There was abuse from Siddique's side. During the discussion, he sexually abused me. The face he shows now is not the one I saw back then," Revanthy said.

"He assaulted me, both physically and mentally. Siddique is a criminal. I went through severe mental trauma. It even affected my professional life. No system stood by me. It took me a long time to speak out. After the assault, Siddique acted as if nothing had happened and stood before me like it was normal. Everyone responded as if it was a common occurrence. It felt like they all did it knowingly," she added.