Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Govindan said the party favoured constructive engagement with people holding different political opinions. His clarification followed hostile social media comments directed at Mammootty and leaders of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) after they met the actor at his residence.
Govindan said the party had never taken a decision to initiate online attacks and had no interest in organising collective criticism against the actor. He described Mammootty as an internationally recognised figure in Malayalam cinema whose observations, including criticism of political organisations, deserved a constructive response.
The CPI(M), he said, believed in maintaining healthy dialogue with those who agreed with its positions and those who disagreed. Political differences should not prevent engagement with prominent figures from cultural, scientific and other fields, he added.
Govindan also indicated that such meetings would not be confined to representatives of the DYFI and SFI. Party leaders themselves intended to interact with personalities across Kerala, irrespective of their political affiliations, as part of a broader effort to exchange views.
The controversy intensified after photographs and videos of the student and youth leaders’ meeting with Mammootty circulated online. Some accounts identifying with Left politics criticised the visitors for meeting the actor, while others directed their objections at Mammootty himself.
The criticism drew upon a disagreement involving CPI(M) Wayanad district secretary K. Rafeeq during Mammootty’s March visit to a rehabilitation township for families displaced by the 2024 Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides. The actor had objected to Rafeeq remaining beside him during what he described as a personal visit, apparently concerned that his presence could suggest a party-sponsored engagement.
The exchange attracted attention when footage circulated online. Some supporters interpreted Mammootty’s remarks as disrespectful to the district secretary, although Rafeeq and other party figures subsequently maintained that the misunderstanding had been resolved.
The fresh criticism arose despite those assurances. Some online commentators questioned why senior DYFI and SFI representatives had accepted the actor’s invitation and publicly shared images of their interaction. Others disputed whether the earlier episode had been adequately settled.
CPI(M) leader P. Jayarajan intervened before Govindan’s statement, urging supporters to stop targeting Mammootty. Jayarajan said the dispute involving Rafeeq had already been addressed and argued that attacks on the actor were incompatible with the political culture the Left claimed to uphold.
He also cautioned against treating artists solely through the lens of party allegiance. The actor’s invitation to the youth and student representatives, Jayarajan suggested, should be understood as an acknowledgement of their public activities rather than a reason for political suspicion.
Rafeeq likewise appealed for an end to the controversy. He reiterated that the matter had been explained and settled, urging those discussing it to recognise the importance of the rehabilitation effort for families affected by the Wayanad disaster.
Among those who met Mammootty were DYFI state president Chintha Jerome, state secretary and Kalliasseri legislator M. Vijin, SFI state president M. Sivaprasad and SFI state secretary P. S. Sajeev. DYFI state treasurer R. Rahul also attended.
Vijin defended the visit, saying the group had gone at Mammootty’s invitation and had been warmly received. He described their conversation as an exchange of views on political and cultural matters and said the Wayanad disagreement should not continue to overshadow relations with the actor.
(The article ‘CPM rules out role in Mammootty cyber attacks’ appeared first on Free Press Journal.)
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