Row erupts after Mammootty asks CPM leader not to stand close during Wayanad visit | India News

After a controversy erupted online after Malayalam superstar Mammootty visited the newly built township for landslide survivors in Wanade on Sunday, the actor faced criticism on social media. Senior leaders of the ruling CPM, however, tried to reduce the row.The issue arose after Mammootty expressed displeasure over CPM’s Wayanad district secretary K Rafique standing close to him during the actor’s personal visit to the township on Saturday. According to reports, Mammootty, often considered a fellow Marxist party, asked Rafiq why he was standing near him and remarked that people might assume he was there on behalf of the ruling party.Soon, the actor faced severe criticism online, allegedly from leftist social media accounts.CPM leaders and ministers PA Mohammad Rias and P Rajeev reacted to the development but avoided directly responding to the controversy.Talking to a TV channel, Rias said that CPM district secretaries do not intrude into places unnecessarily. He said that Rafiq was a social worker who actively participated in relief and rehabilitation work after the Wanade landslide and visited the city in that capacity on Saturday.Stating that Mammootty recognizes such people across political lines, Rias also said that the actor visited the city to understand the situation there independently.Meanwhile, Minister Rajeev, while talking to reporters in Kochi, praised Mammootty for visiting the township despite his busy schedule. He said the actor’s visit helped bring more visibility to the government’s township project for landslide survivors.However, Congress leader Cherian Philip alleged that online attacks on Mammootty by CPM supporters were “cruel”.In a statement, Philip said the backlash started after Mammootty commented that the city was built using public funds from all sections of society in Kerala.Philip also alleged that when the actor made a personal visit to the city, some CPM leaders tried to turn it into a party propaganda exercise, which angered Mammootty. He added that the actor is a source of pride for the people of Kerala and criticized attempts to target him politically.Later, Rafiq posted on Facebook urging everyone to stop arguing and arguing over the issue.He said that Mammootty called him personally and clarified the matter.According to Rafiq, the actor was present in the township for another function when he arrived. As a public worker, he said, he took careful steps to ensure that the crowd and ruckus did not cause any inconvenience to Mammootty.“As a public worker, it is our practice to receive visitors to the city if we are there. However, I understood that he was hinting that such actions can sometimes be interpreted differently,” he said.Rafiq said the issue escalated after some media outlets and right-wing groups portrayed it as personally offensive.“I respect the good intentions of all those who have reacted so passionately to this issue,” he said.However, he appealed to all not to allow controversy to overshadow the significance of the township project, which he said was built through the government’s will, humanity and compassion and could serve as a model for the world.He also requested that Mammootty’s visit be discussed only positively and end all controversies.“Mammooty has made it clear to me personally that he never intended to insult me,” he said, urging everyone to end all controversies and arguments related to the matter.Mammootty on Saturday paid a surprise visit to the newly constructed township for landslide survivors in the hill district and interacted with the residents and officials there.The actor visited several completed houses in the township, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week and spoke to beneficiaries and local residents.The ‘Amram’ actor later said that the city reflects the collective efforts and compassion of the people of Kerala who lost everything in the landslide disaster. What we see here is the compassion and social capital of the people of Kerala, he said.Survivors of the Mundakkai-Churalmala landslide have started afresh after the Kerala government handed over new houses to 178 families on March 1.Chief Minister Vijayan inaugurated the first phase of the Wayanad Model Township at Elton Estate, bringing relief to families who spent months in rented houses and temporary shelters after the disaster.In the first phase, 178 houses were handed over to families that were completely destroyed by the July 30, 2024 disaster.