Various cultural organisations came up in protest against the action of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), which slapped a fine on a vehicle of Aswathi Theatres, Aluva, for displaying a board with the name of the theatre group on top.
Condemning the action of the Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector, who slapped a fine of ₹24,000 alleging that the board was oversized, the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham (Pukasa) here on Friday asked the department to rethink its action.
“It is learnt that the fine was levied as the board displayed on the vehicle was oversized. Even if it is true, the department should be ready to relax the fine. Theatre groups in the State are not earning huge sums of money. Many are struggling to survive. They are functioning for social development. They deserve support and consideration of the government,” said the Pukasa in its press release.
“Even our current Budget shows that the government is ready to support theatre groups,” the release added. The organisation urged the MVD to ease the fine slapped on Aswathi Theatres.
The Kerala Kala Samkarika Vedi also protested against the step taken by the MVD. The theatre workers in the State were struggling to make both ends meet. It was inhumane to slap such a huge fine on them, it said. The theatre group was on its way to Chavakkad.
Street play
Staff Reporter writes from Palakkad: The Samskarika Sahithi staged a street play near stadium bus-stand here on Thursday in protest against the Motor Vehicles Department slapping a fine of ₹24,000 on a theatre group’s vehicle for fixing a drama poster on it.
The drama wing of the Samskarika Sahithi demanded that the department withdraw from the move to tarnish the cultural and theatre firmament of the State. Lawyer Gireesh Nochulli and Bineesh Kadur led the protest street play. Sahithi district chairman Boban Mattumantha inaugurated the protest. Sahithi parliament chairman Hakeem Kalmandapam presided.
