Malayalam actor Kollam Thulasi, who surrendered at the Chavara police station in Kollam district of Kerala on Tuesday for his inflammatory remarks on the Sabarimala issue, was later let off on bail by the Munsif Court in Chavara.
According to a report, the actor and BJP member has been charged with sections 295 (a) (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 354 (a) (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505 (b) (Statements conducing to public mischief, with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) as well as 119 (a) (Performing any sexual gestures or acts degrading the dignity of women in a public place) 117 (Penalty for interfering in the functions of the police) of the Kerala Police Act.
During a controversial speech in Chavara on October 12, Thulasi had said that women who entered the temple should be ripped apart with one half of their bodies sent to Supreme Court judges who passed the ruling and the other half to the Chief Minister’s office.
“The mothers (elderly woman) taking part in the protest against the judgment should go to Sabarimala. Then those women should rip apart the ones who try to enter the temple,” the actor had said back then.
Even the state BJP president, P S Sreedharan Pillai distanced himself from these remarks by Thulasi who had contested as a BJP candidate during the 2016 Assembly Polls.
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Subsequently, a complaint was filed against him by the DYFI Chavara unit. The Kerala State Women’s Commission had also taken suo motu cognisance of the case against the actor. He then came out and apologised for his statements. “It is due to my deep devotion to Lord Ayyappa that I said what I did. But I later understood as a celebrity I shouldn’t talk that way. I wholeheartedly apologise for it,” he had said. The actor, who filed for an anticipatory bail shortly afterwards, was denied the same by the High Court and District Sessions Court.
Image courtesy: TNIE