Following Suresh Gopi’s victory in the Lok Sabha elections, actress Nimisha Sajayan was subjected to a significant amount of online abuse on social media. The attacks stemmed from comments she made four years ago regarding Mr. Gopi on Facebook and Instagram.
The criticism centered on a past statement by Ms. Sajayan: “Thrissur asked but didn’t give it, that’s who India is asking about now. Should we give it or not?” This remark sparked the online harassment.
Gokul Suresh, Mr. Gopi’s son and an actor himself, has now addressed the cyberbullying against Ms. Sajayan.
Mr. Suresh expressed his disapproval of the online attacks directed at Ms. Sajayan. He further elaborated that he believes Ms. Sajayan’s comments did not reflect the respect one colleague would typically show towards another.
Responding to a journalist’s question about whether he was aware of Ms. Sajayan’s past comments, Mr. Suresh stated that he witnessed the media coverage of the remarks at the time. He emphasized that neither he nor his father condones the current harassment.
“Perhaps at that time, Ms. Sajayan felt comfortable saying what she did. People have different perspectives and temperaments,” Mr. Suresh said. “My father has never harbored any hatred or spoken ill of Ms. Sajayan.”
He clarified, “While Ms. Sajayan may have felt compelled to make those remarks in the past, my father does not endorse the present situation. He questions why people would target her this way.”
“It has not even been that long since the actress made those statements,” Mr. Suresh continued. “At the time, it seems she did not consider that she was speaking about a colleague, a senior artist in the same industry. In this new context, it might appear as a setback for her. Personally, I am deeply disturbed by the way she is being targeted.”
“I was personally troubled by her past comments as well,” he added.
Gokul Suresh also addressed the online trolling directed at his father. He acknowledged that social media has been the primary source of online harassment against Mr. Gopi.
“Despite all the trolling, my father has persevered to reach this point,” Mr. Suresh said. “Serving the people is his ultimate goal. In that sense, becoming a Union Minister is a positive development. If not, he will continue to do whatever he can in his capacity. Regardless, his good deeds will become evident in due course. There should be the same eagerness to showcase his positive actions as there is to highlight any mistakes he makes.”
