Firoz Kunnamparambil’s Facebook page describes him as a social worker in Kerala. He uses the platform to raise money to help those in need and for other social welfare activities. Recently, he used the same platform to call a woman ‘a prostitute’ and hurl other abusive remarks on her, after she criticised him.
Taking cognisance of this, State Women’s Commission on Tuesday took up a suo motu case against Firoz.
The woman, Jazla Madasseri, had recently put up a post on Facebook, criticising Firoz for taking part in the campaign of MC Kamarudheen, United Democratic Front’s (UDF) Manjeswaram candidate for the upcoming bye-elections. According to Jazla, Firoz had earlier stated that he had no connections with any political parties.
Reacting to the post, Firoz started a Facebook Live and can be heard saying that the woman is a ‘prostitute who exhibits her body’.
“She is someone who doesn’t confine to a family. To be frank, she is a prostitute. Nothing would happen to me if a woman of that kind says something against me. If someone who had dignity had done this, people would have listened... What I have for her is nothing but scorn,” Firoz says in the live video.
Firoz is known among many Facebook users, for his page has numerous photos and videos of him engaging in charity activities. He posts videos for those who need financial assistance for treatment or other needs, and claims to collect money from those who donate and provide it to the needy. In some videos, he has reportedly called himself a ‘nanmamaram’ (a tree of goodness).
But his post against Jazla received flak, with many coming out in support of the woman.
Jazla even reacted to Firoz’s video, stating that she would take legal action against him.
In a strongly-worded video, she slammed Firoz for calling himself a ‘nanmamaram’ and questions his charity work as he does not spend his own money on it. She further added that “expressing one’s opinion against someone should not irk the person, for even the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister are being criticised”.
She further asked, “Doesn’t a woman who is a prostitute have the right to criticise someone?”
State Women’s Commission Chairperson MC Josephine has asked the police to take stern action against Firoz. “Through his statement, Firoz has humiliated all the women in the state, and this can’t be allowed. It is said that Firoz is someone who is engaged in charity activities. But a person who is engaged in such activities shouldn’t address women like this. People like him should be isolated in society,” she said.