A day after theatre artiste K.N. Panicker resigned as vice-chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi over chairperson Sonal Mansingh’s style of functioning, the danseuse on Sunday declared that she would not step down, saying there was no crisis in the organisation. The war of words continued on Sunday even after Mansingh met Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy.‘‘What is the big crisis? We had a meeting all day yesterday in which we very animatedly discussed the calendar of events of the Akademi and finalised the budget allocation. I do not know what happened in three hours after the meeting for Panicker to resign,’’ Mansingh said.Emerging from the meeting with Reddy, Mansingh said, ‘‘We have placed concrete facts before the Minister. It is now up to him to decide’’. The danseuse said she apprised Reddy of the decisions taken at yesterday’s meeting.Panicker had put in his papers last night, saying it was in protest against the ‘‘unconstitutional, unethical functioning of the Akademi under her (Mansingh)’’ and also to express solidarity with Balamuralikrishna, who had earlier quit from the executive board of the organisation.Panicker told Express that Mansingh’s attitude towards him and her modus operandi during the election process came as his ‘‘first shock’’. She tried to pit Balamuralikrishna, who was then away in London, against his candidature. Panicker bagged 25 votes and Balamuralikrishna six. It was later learnt, Panicker said, that Balamuralikrishna had no idea of the developments. ‘‘Mansingh was using the election to drive a wedge between me and Balamuralikrishna,” he said.While Mansingh said her detractors had not a ‘‘thread of evidence’’, Panicker said: ‘‘I have evidence to prove that Mansingh was instigating the secretary to tamper with the minutes approved by me.’’ He was referring to missing portions of the minutes of the publication committee meeting that he chaired.
