Malayalam actor and BJP leader Suresh Gopi ended six days of silence over his appointment as president of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Calcutta, by announcing his decision to take up the assignment.
Gopi’s silence spoke louder than words — he refused to say a word about the appointment, which was seen as a way to sideline him from mainstream Kerala politics.
In a Facebook post late on Thursday, the former Rajya Sabha member said he would continue with his political duties, in a clear indication that he has received the nod from the party leadership about taking care of his political ambitions to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
“I’m taking over charge (as SRFTI president) with the assurance of the Minister that it is 100% not an Office of profit and not at all a Salaried job and that I will still continue to carry all the liberties of a politician that I am in every front,” he said in the post in English.
“So I will take charge as the Chairman as per instructions on the date and time suggested by the Central Information & Broadcasting Ministry. Wish me all the best, pray for me so that I add glitter to the name of the World renowned Shakespeare of Indian films in the creative aspect.”
He started the post by thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “my friend”, minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur.
It was Thakur who had on September 21 announced the decision to appoint Gopi as president of SRFTI. But Gopi refused to answer reporters’ queries the following day in Kerala, when it became clear that he was unhappy and took the appointment as a way to sideline him from mainstream politics.
After having lost from the Thrissur Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, in the 2019 general election and the 2021 state polls, Gopi has been eyeing another shot. He has been actively involved in local issues, apparently to be in touch with the electorate.
In his Facebook post, Gopi iterated that he would proceed with his protest march on Gandhi Jayanti to highlight irregularities in a Thrissur-based co-operative bank that is being probed by ED.
SRFTI students have objected to the appointment.