The volunteers of Dalit Panthers of India stormed the office of the South India
Film Artistes' Association in the city with broomsticks and chappels, demanding
an apology from the actress, who hails from Mumbai.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has announced its intention to protest outside
the house of the actress, now away in Singapore on a leisure trip.
A few people had been taken into custody yesterday in connection with the
protest demonstrations before the association. A heavy police bandobust has
been posted outside the actress's residence in the city.
The actress, a heart throb of many in the 90's, in an interview to a magazine,
had reportedly stated that girls could indulge in pre-marital sex, provided
safe measures were followed by them to prevent unwanted pregnancy and sexually
transmitted diseases. Later, she justified her statement by saying that no
educated man could expect his partner to be a virgin.
Those in the Kollywood supporting her views maintained that the actress had
aired her views only in support of safeguarding against sexually transmitted
diseases. The political outfits, red in their faces, said that the statement of
the actress went against the basic ethos of Tamil culture and the people.
Some others in the film industry had said that her views went against Tamil
culture and ethos.
This is the second controversy involving people from the Kollywood. Only very
recently, director-producer, Thankar Bachan had to apologise personally before
film personalities for his remarks that 'women who acted mainly for money were
akin to prostitutes' and Kushboo was one among the few actresses who
vociferously protested the producer's remarks. She was one among the actresses
who was not satisfied with his personal apology.
Meanwhile, late last night, 'casual artistes' numbering over 100 gathered in
the association's premises to demand action against the Dalit Panthers of India
volunteers. They raised slogans supporting Kushboo saying that her remarks were
only to caution against the dangers of sexually transmitted disease.
