Padmini Kolhapure reacts to Upasana Singh’s CINTAA ‘dictatorship’ jibe: ‘Don’t senior actors have their own minds?’

Mumbai, August 24 (IANS) Veteran actress and senior Vice President of CINTAA, Padmini Kolhapure has reacted strongly to allegations of “dictatorship” levelled against her and Poonam Dhillon by former general secretary Upasana Singh.

Speaking about the entire controversy at a recent press conference held by CINTAA, Padmini questioned how a group of senior artistes could possibly be controlled by two people.

Addressing the allegations of dictatorship directly, Padmini explained how decisions within the Executive Committee are taken through a defined process, including a quorum and majority voting.

“When we have meetings, when we have EC meetings, first of all, we need to have a quorum. A quorum of eight people. After that, our meeting can start. If there is a decision to be taken, it has to be taken by the majority,” she said.

Padmini added that no individual, including herself, could simply take a decision unilaterally.

“I cannot stand up and decide that we want to have a press conference. I cannot,” she said, explaining that even the decision to hold the press conference had been discussed and approved in a meeting.

She then questioned whether prominent senior artistes associated with CINTAA could realistically be expected to blindly follow Poonam or her.

“And if I talk about dictatorship, do you think that senior actors, Pintu ji, Rakesh Bedi ji, who are sitting there, and Yashpal Sharma ji, and all the people sitting here… do you think that we can have a dictatorship?” Padmini asked.

Padmini further said, “Do you see all these ‘yes madam’ people? Don’t they have their own minds?”

Padmini then clarified that the present CINTAA committee is completely legal and has not been dissolved, amid claims and rumours surrounding its status.

“First of all, I would like to authenticate that this committee is completely legal,” Padmini said, adding that many senior members may currently be away for work but continue to support the committee.

She further asserted that the committee was functioning according to CINTAA’s constitution and that it had not been disbanded.

“Let me tell you once again, the committee has not been dissolved. It has not been disbanded. And we are working as per the constitution,” she said.

She emphasised that the members involved were looking at only working for the welfare of CINTAA members.

“Look, we have all come here to do good for the members of CINTAA,” she said.

Padmini’s remarks come against the backdrop of aninternal dispute within CINTAA, which escalated after many members of the Executive Committee resigned and allegations were levelled against the functioning of the current leadership.

Upasana Singh had accused Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure of adopting an authoritarian approach within the association and wanting things their way.

She alleged that the two actresses exercised excessive control over the functioning of the committee and that members who did not agree with them or did not say “yes madam” to them were sidelined, making the entire approach and functioning dictator-like.

–IANS

rd/