Muck in Mollywood: Massive Protests Outside Kerala CM’s Residence After Court Stays Mukesh's Arrest

#MeToo Shakes Mollywood: The Congress and the BJP intensified their call for the resignation of CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, accused in a rape case. This is the third FIR against the high-profile actor and politician. His name came forth after the Justice K Hema Committee Report, highlighting sexual harassment and discrimination faced by women professionals in the Malayalam film industry, was made public on August 19.

The Ernakulam District Sessions Court has issued an order preventing his arrest until September 3. In response to this, massive protests erupted outside the residence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Demonstrators demanded justice for the alleged victim and called for Mukesh's resignation. 

Protests rage in Kerala in the wake of Hema Committee findings

There have been claims that the ruling Left government is delaying the matter after sitting on the Justice Hema Committee report for over four years to prevent disclosure of the culprits' names.

Youth Congress activists protested outside Mukesh's residence in Thiruvananthapuram, where the police had set up barricades to prevent access to his home. Some protestors jumped over the barricades, and the police deployed there took them into custody.

Fresh rape case filed against M Mukesh

BJP's youth wing, Yuva Morcha, held a protest march in Kollam city, where one of the protestors wore a photo of Mukesh as a mask and held a chicken in both hands. 'Kozhi' -- which in Malayalam refers to chicken -- is a colloquial usage describing a man who behaves inappropriately with women.

Both the Congress and the BJP have been demanding the resignation of Mukesh ever since the allegations against him surfaced. The call was intensified following the registration of a rape case against the CPI(M) legislator. An FIR under IPC 376 (rape) was registered against the actor at Maradu police station in Kochi city on Wednesday night, a police officer said.