Thilakan issue: panel orders probe

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has directed the Labour Commissioner to conduct a detailed inquiry into the ban imposed by the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on actor Thilakan. Commission member K.E. Gangadhanran issued the order on Tuesday on a petition filed by Sreekumar Nooranad against the office-bearers of the organisation alleging violation of Mr. Thilakans fundamental right to work. The Labour Commissioner has been asked to submit his report in two weeks. According to a statement of the KSHRC, the petitioner had contented that the organisations decision not to cooperate with Mr. Thilakan in films amounted to violation of a citizens right to livelihood. The petition, the statement said, had also demanded cancellation of the organisations registration and an examination of the minutes of the organisations meetings. According to sources in the KSHRC, the petitioner had sought the governments intervention in view of the fact that AMMA was an organisation registered under the Registration Act. Mr. Thilakan has been staging an agitation against the organisations ban and campaigning for protection of his right to work.