Protests raged against actor and Kollam MLA M. Mukesh on Sunday after an audio clip of him shouting at a school student over telephone went viral on social media. Mr. Mukesh, however, said that it was a trap set against him with political motives.
The State committee of the Muslim Students Federation has complained to the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights demanding action against Mr. Mukesh.
The audio clip
The actor became the target of a vicious attack when the 140-second audio clip of the phone conversation he had with a Class 10 student from Ottapalam was released on social media.
The boy called Mr. Mukesh six times on his mobile phone when the actor was attending an online meeting in connection with the development of his constituency.
The boy reportedly kept on calling him even after being told that he was busy in a meeting. Apparently irritated over the calls, Mr. Mukesh asked the boy the reason for the call, and to which the boy replied that his friend had given the actor’s number.
“Your friend should be slapped for making you call me even when you have your MLA in Palakkad,” Mr. Mukesh told the boy, who later apologised for the call.
When the child said he was from Ottapalam, Mr. Mukesh asked him the name of his Ottapalam MLA. “I don’t know, sir,” the boy said. The actor rebuked the boy for his ignorance despite being in Class 10.
Reply on FB
When people mounted an attack on the actor over his alleged rude behaviour, Mr. Mukesh posted a video on his Facebook page explaining that it was a trap meant to tarnish him politically. “I spoke to the child like a father or an elder brother. I had no intention of abusing him. Children are being used to target me,” said Mr. Mukesh.
He said he would approach the cyber wing of the police seeking action against those who were behind the episode. The actor said that he had received several abusive calls after his recent re-election to the Assembly.
Published - July 05, 2021 10:01 am IST
