Sabarimale Controversy

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Kannada film producer and actress Jayamala who hit national headlines for right and wrong reasons has finally come out of her self imposed silence to speak about the Sabarimala Controversy.

Addressing a huge press conference on Friday afternoon, the actress said that she has been made the scapegoat in the entire controversy. She blamed the coterie of a triumvirate consisting of Travancore Devaswom Board Chief Raman Nair, Kerala state minister Sudhakaran and Chief Astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishnan for hatching a conspiracy to defame her.

Ms. Jayamala was accompanied in the press conference by her husband Award winning Cameraman H.M. Ramachandra and her advocate Sheshadri. She provided some evidences to substantiate her charges against the triumvirate. She said that Unnikrishnan had done some religious function in her residence a few years ago had advised her to send a fax to Travancore Devaswom Board acknowledging that she had indeed touched Lord Aiyappa's feet and seeking pardon of the lord.

"I think Unnikrishnan had some crooked intentions to advise me like that because he had some vested interests. There after, the contents of the fax was leaked. At that time Raman Nair and Sudhakaran started attacking me. Now, all these things look to me like a clear conspiracy to paint me in black and getting advantages for themselves' said Jayamala. She said that her fax communications has been misused and she was surprised how her letter was leaked out. She also criticized over the way the CB-CID investigations have been leaked in press even before it had reached the government. Jayamala said that a content of the investigations conducted by the Kerala state CB-CID special police indicting her and Unnikrishnan for the whole controversy has not reached her.

"What will I get if I try to defame the Temple for which I am still a great devotee? Every thing connected to the investigations seems to be fishy. S.P. Ashok Kumar who was leading the CB-CID wing has said that I had not co-operated with the investigations. The fact is that this person has never met me or even spoke to me over phone. I am yet to see Ashok Kumar, but he has already given a statement against me. It is really surprising. The fact is only a few police officers from the state of Karnataka came to me and asked a few questions. I have presented my version in a note presented to the police' she added.

Jayamala also alleged gender bias and human rights violations in this attempt of victimizing her.