Adoor Gopalakrishnan resigns as chairperson of Kerala's film institute

Thiruvananthapuram: Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan on Tuesday announced his resignation as chairman of the K R Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts, days after its director -- Shankar Mohan -- quit following complaints of caste discrimination against him by a section of students and staff.

Gopalakrishnan -- a Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner -- while announcing his resignation, at a press conference here -- from the institute, also threw his weight behind Mohan by saying the latter was a well-respected and distinguished professional who has been at the helm of various government-run film institutions in the last four decades. The filmmaker further said Mohan had diligently worked with him during the last three years to bring the institution back from the edge of ruin and turn it into one of the best film institutes in the country. "It is such a professional whom we invited here and then forced him to leave by levelling baseless, false and derogatory allegations against him and insulting him," Gopalakrishnan said while speaking to the media here.

The filmmaker also raised doubts regarding the findings of an initial enquiry committee, constituted by the Higher Education Department, and the subsequent inquiry commission, appointed on his request by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to look into the matter.

Gopalakrishnan contended that the committee never included him or Mohan in their enquiry and the commission too did not appear to have carried out a proper investigation into the issue.

He also said those who thought that curtains would fall on the issue with the resignation of Mohan, were wrong. In the wake of his announcement, State Higher Education Minister R Bindu said she saw no reason for Gopalakrishnan to resign from his post in protest against the government as it was with his consent that the inquiry commission was appointed.

She, however, also said that if there was any fact or truth in the claims made by the filmmaker, then it would be definitely examined by the government. The minister, speaking to reporters, also said that as an individual she was of the view that staff of the institute should not be used to clean the house of the director. Reacting to Gopalakrishnan's decision, some students of the institute told media that inquiry reports should be made public so that everyone comes to know the truth. (PTI)