FEFKA responds to Aashiq Abu’s resignation: Personal issues, not ideological

Kochi: The Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) Directors’ Union issued a statement on Friday in response to filmmaker Aashiq Abu’s resignation from the organisation on August 30, 2024.

Aashiq Abu earlier criticised FEFKA’s leadership over its stance on the Justice Hema Commission report, which investigated sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry.

FEFKA dismissed the director’s allegations as “personal” and not rooted in ideological differences. The union emphasised that these accusations were addressed and refuted years ago.

The union, in the statement, revealed that Abu had not paid his annual membership fee of Rs 500 for the past eight years. According to the 2024 amendments to the union’s bylaws, members with over six years of unpaid dues are subject to having their membership terminated. Abu made a late payment of Rs 5,000 in August 2024 to renew his membership, which was under review by the executive committee.

FEFKA’s statement added, “It is peculiar that Aashiq Abu would announce his resignation after applying for membership renewal just days earlier. In light of this, we have decided not to renew his membership and will refund the amount he recently paid.” Renji Panicker, President of FEFKA, and General Secretary G S Vijayan affirmed the union’s stance, emphasising that the organisation remains committed to its members and established protocols.

In his resignation letter, Abu accused FEFKA General Secretary B Unnikrishnan of having a “hypocritical” position on the Justice Hema Commission report. He also reiterated claims from 2018 that under then-General Secretary Sibi Malayil, the union demanded a 20% commission from a payment he was due. These accusations were previously dismissed by FEFKA, which provided evidence refuting the claims.

Regarding FEFKA’s financial practices, the union clarified that it adheres to a standard followed by other film worker federations in India. Members voluntarily contribute 10% of their earnings to the union’s operational fund, which supports welfare initiatives. Despite being aware of these practices, Aashiq Abu allegedly refused to contribute and had a cheque of Rs 92,500 returned to him.