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Actor Joju George caught in jam due to protest rebukes Cong, says was attacked
The Ernakulam Congress leader hit back at actor Joju George, accusing him of ‘dead drunk’. A medical test later ruled out that the actor, who took on the local Kerala Congress leaders, was not under the influence of liquor at any point.
Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam actor Joju George, 46, was allegedly attacked by Congress workers in Kochi on Monday after he questioned the party workers’ road blockade against recurring fuel price hikes. He said his vehicle was vandalised and he received minor injuries.
The drama unfolded around 11 am after his vehicle was stuck in a traffic snarl due to the protest. Joju George said he came out of his vehicle and got into an argument with party workers, telling them that saying they were doing more harm than good to people. After this, he alleged, angry workers attacked his vehicle and a police inspector who was present at the scene saved him from angry workers.
But Congress workers later alleged that he was drunk and misbehaved with women workers which the actor denied. “He was behaving in cinema style shouting at workers. He was also rude to women workers. He was dead drunk,” said Ernakulam district Congress committee president Mohammad Shiyas. But later a medical test established that he was not under the influence of liquor.
George, known for his character roles, won the state best actor award for his role in film ‘Joseph’ in 2019. He also got a special mention in the national award list last year.
The actor said he never expected such a treatment from the oldest party of the county. “Petrol price hike pinches us all. I told them gently that it was not the way to register protest pointing out some ambulances and other emergency vehicles. They attacked me instantly and broke rear glass of my car,” he said adding it was quite unfair to give a different twist to the incident.
“You can check the visuals. I have a grown-up daughter and always hold women in high esteem,” he said.
Later he filed a police complaint for the attack.
Congress women workers also filed a cross-complaint alleging indecent behaviour. But police are yet to register a case against him saying they haven’t got enough evidence against the actor. Though he suffered minor injuries in the scuffle, Joju George said he did not want to get admitted to a hospital just to register a case.
“I was stranded in the traffic for more than an hour. I was just advising the workers to adopt a different mode of protest. I never expected that they will react like this. It is really sad. I am not against protest and I don’t have political affiliation also,” he said after filing the complaint. He said his mother was an active Congress worker.
Kochi DCP Aiswarya Dogra said two case s were filed against Congress workers for damaging the vehicle of the actor and for blocking the road.
Congress leaders were divided over the issue.
While a section defended party workers, there were others who said direct actions should have been avoided. “He acted like a street goonda. It is natural action will trigger reaction,” said state chief K Sudhakaran. Senior leader Kodikunnil Suresh MP also defended party workers.
But AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said in Alapuzha that violent mode of protest is not the party’s style. “I think the state unit will look into it,” he said, Opposition leader V D Satheesan also said he is against such mode of protests. President of Democratic Youth Federation, youth wing of ruling CPI(M), A A Raheem condemned the attack on actor. “It exposes the new style of functioning of the PCC chief,” he said.
Film bodies have also criticised attack on actor. “Some Congress leaders called him a criminal. It is highly objectionable. He reacted after seeing the plight of a chemo therapy patient in a nearby ambulance. He reacted like any other human being,” said B Unnikrishnan, director and general secretary of Film Employees Federation of Kerala.
Later police provided protection to the house of the actor in Mala (Thrissur) after Youth Congress activists carried out a rally to his house. “I don’t want to make it an issue. After seeing the plight of the patient I reacted as a common man, not as an actor. I stick to my position. I personally feel nobody has a right to block roads like this,” said George.
