Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja has come out in support of dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi and activist Diva Sana, who were booked for attacking a man who posted an abusive video on feminists in Kerala. “The man (Vijay P Nair’s) approach was extremely vulgar. He has made some vulgar allegations on YouTube and there should definitely be a strong case against him,” Shailaja said while addressing the media on Sunday.
She also added that she was ‘happy’ that Bhagyalakshmi and others reacted to the video.
“It is not wrong to react against this. However to what extent you can take that reaction is something that has to be looked at legally...I commend them for reacting. The way in which they reacted, we can discuss later. But what that man did, his approach, was extremely vulgar. There is no need for a gender divide while reacting to this. Both men and women should react against such men,” she added.
On Saturday, Bhagyalakshmi and Diya Sana confronted a man named Vijay P Nair, pouring black ink on him and slapping him for posting a derogatory video. The video titled ‘Why do feminists in India, especially Kerala, not wear underwear’ has targeted many well known women including 86-year-old poet Sugatha Kumari, artists Bhagyalakshmi and others such as Trupti Desai, Bindu Ammini and Rehana Fathima. The video contains vulgar and crass language.
On Sunday, the Thampanoor station registered a case against Bhagyalakshmi and two others (including Diya) based on Vijay P Nair’s complaint. The trio were booked under non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 294B(Sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (Criminal intimidation), 392 (Punishment for robbery), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
At the same time, two FIRs have been lodged against Vijay Nair at the Museum police station and the Thampanoor station respectively. According to officers at the Museum police station, a complaint was filed yesterday against Vijay P Nair and the cyber cell has done a preliminary probe on this. Based on this complaint, the police registered a case against him under section 509 of the IPC (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 120(O) of the Kerala Police Act (Causing nuisance).
Diya and Bhagyalakshmi on Saturday confronted the man at the Gandhari Amman Kovil in Thiruvananthapuram and live streamed them attacking him. They made him apologise on camera for posting the video. However, later, speaking to the media he said he was not sorry for his video.
Meanwhile, Bhagyalakshmi has also said that she will readily go to jail if arrested.