New Delhi: Malayalam film director Priyanandan was attacked allegedly by a right-wing activist near his home in Kerala’s Thrissur district on Friday. The incident occurred around 9 am following his social media post on the entry of women into Sabarimala.
A police official told IANS on the condition of anonymity that the director had left home to visit a neighbour when he was “beaten up and water mixed with cow dung was flung on him.” A probe into the matter is ongoing.
The attacker escaped when a crowd gathered around him.
According to Indian Express, the 52-year-old director told reporters that the attacker asked him: ‘Who are you to speak against Ayyappan? This is just the beginning’.
“After slapping me near the right ear and pouring the bucket of cow-dung mixed water, he ran away as soon as more people gathered. I have seen him in the area, but I’m not sure if he is an activist of the RSS or the BJP,” he was quoted by the daily as saying.
Also read: Appropriation of Ayyappa Cult: The History and Hinduisation of Sabarimala Temple
The director believes the attack was over his recent post on Sabarimala for which he drew ire from the right-wing. According to Scroll.in, Hindutva leaders have alleged that Priyanandan’s remarks – which have since been deleted from Facebook – were blasphemous. Following the post, the BJP had taken out a march to his residence as well.
B. Gopalakrishnan, a BJP leader, had even warned the director that the RSS workers will not allow him to walk freely.
“I know the attacker,” the director told reporters, adding that he believed more than one person was involved in it.
Condemning the incident, state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said it was an attack on “freedom of speech and expression” and that the government would not tolerate it.
“This unholy act has taken place just because he made his point of view in the social media. Soon after his post came, he was under cyber attack. This will not be tolerated and appropriate action would be taken,” Vijayan was quoted as saying.
Priyanandan, a recipient of the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 2006 for the movie Pulijanmam, has directed seven films till date, including Bhakthajanangalude Sradhakku, Neythukaran and Sufi Paranja Katha.