Union Minister Suresh Gopi slams media over Hema panel report

Trissur, Aug 27 (IANS) Actor-turned-politician and Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi on Tuesday said that the law will take its own course on the report submitted by the Hema Committee on the Malayalam film industry and blamed the media for "witch-hunting" and trying to "spoil an organised system". 

Minister Gopi was in his constituency here in Kerala's Trissur when the media asked him about the report.

“Let the court decide on all such issues. You should ask me about issues at the appropriate place. When I come out from AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) office you should ask about such issues. When I come out from my office, you should ask me about my office and when I come out from my house, you should ask about that,” said Gopi.

“I know that the present issue is a feed for you and you can make money out of it. You are drinking blood by creating a fight. What you fail to realize is you are spoiling an organised system,” said Gopi as the media personnel kept asking him questions about the report.

“You (media) should understand that you are not the final word and not a court. The Court knows its job and let it do that. All that you hear now is mere allegations,” added Gopi.

As the reporters pestered him, the Minister, for a moment looked as if he was playing what he does best, as an angry actor and delivered his dialogue almost similar to what he has done in several movies.

He lost his cool when he was asked about his AMMA colleague and two-time sitting CPI(M) legislator Mukesh who is facing the flak after a former actress revealed how she was tormented by him years back at a shooting location.

Gopi is a national best actor award winner and is the last superstar in the Malayalam film industry after Mammootty and Mohanlal.

He won the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency as a BJP candidate in the recently held general elections.

Now all eyes are on how the state BJP leadership is going to react to the Union Minister's defensive statement as the party has been going hammer and tongs against the Malayalam film industry after the Hema report was made public.

--IANS

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