Asked AMMA to suspend Vijay Babu: Maala Parvathi opens up about what happened in ICC

ICC is an autonomous body. But has this ICC been reduced to a dummy committee of AMMA?

I can’t say that. The committee has been functional for around two months only. After forming the ICC, we got a training. When we celebrated women’s day in AMMA, it was based on the assurance that women’s voices will be heard here. More women have been included in the executive committee to make a change. It’s important to understand that ICC is not a committee of AMMA. It’s an autonomous body. That’s why we have legal experts outside AMMA. ICC’s in every organisation in India is constantly monitored. ICC is a body that has to approach things with utmost awareness. ICC was formed in AMMA after Supreme Court’s order but I am not sure if AMMA was ready for such a body. I say this because the training about the legal scope of POSH act, its limitations and possibilities were given only to ICC members. I think training should have been given to AMMA members and its executive members.

In Vijay Babu’s case, do you think AMMA’s stance shows that they look down on ICC’s powers?

ICC has to act according to the law. AMMA’s executive committee’s responsibility is to implement ICC’s recommendations. But they approached this issue very lightly without listening to what we have to say. Yes, AMMA’s stance shows they have nullified ICC’s scope. Three out of six members in that ICC resigned as a protest against AMMA’s stance.

To suspend someone and resigning on one’s own accord are two different things. Do you think AMMA members don’t know the difference?

They are saying, “Vijay Babu has stepped down from the EC (Executive Committee). It’s the same thing ICC has recommended, right? We did what you said.” They don’t understand the difference. They are saying that it’s the same thing. But is it the same thing for society? For example, I resigned from ICC, they didn’t suspend me from it. If they understand this difference, they will understand everything. We asked AMMA to suspend Vijay Babu, but what has happened now is not that.

By accepting a resignation letter from a rape accused, AMMA has set a bad precedent.

To contact a person who’s absconding from police and to accept a letter from him is not something that’s legally valid. When there’s clearly an order from various courts that the name of the survivor cannot be revealed, what Vijay Babu has done is undoubtedly a crime. He’s not respecting the law of the land. Many of them are not taking this seriously. Many persons in AMMA haven’t understood the problem in this.

From MeToo allegations to actress assault case, many issues have rocked AMMA. It’s in this backdrop that ICC was formed. What were the reforms ICC were trying to implement?

The most important objective of ICC was to create a work space and atmosphere where women can work with complete freedom. We wanted to ensure gender equality. We wanted to create an atmosphere where women’s voices could be heard. We wanted to ensure women are legally protected against violations and harassments. We wanted to conduct awareness classes for members to impart knowledge about the rights of women as guaranteed by various laws. We also ensured members that we are here to listen to any complaints with utmost trust and take necessary actions. Shweta Menon and Kukku Parameshwaran were people who had real vision and strong stance about such things. But in the first case in which ICC has interfered, we faced an unfortunate response from AMMA.

For expressing your opinion without fear, at least some people in AMMA must be tagging you as a traitor? How do you see this scenario?

I don’t know how other members in the association are approaching this issue. I have sent a mail to AMMA asking explanation about what Maniyanpilla Raju has said following my resignation. I want to know if his response that ‘those who resigned can go to women’s association’ is a personal opinion or the opinion of the association in general. I still haven’t got a response for that mail. I am waiting for their response. I have been someone who has always highlighted the good deeds done by AMMA. That’s why I have expressed my disagreement with this issue. May be in the coming days we will know if they have understood what we are trying to say or they are seeing us as a traitor.

How did AMMA members react to your resignation?

I didn’t see much reactions. I only heard Baburaj’s response and he said, “I respect her decision to resign.”