Host and social media influencer Pearle Maaney, who came out to express her stance on the student protests, faced mixed reactions on her post on Instagram. She then took to her Instagram Stories to lash out at the people criticising her and getting triggered at her statement, even taking a dig at a ‘failed filmmaker’ for writing on her statement. After a few hours, Pearle deleted the statement and disabled the comments section on her post.
What did Pearle Maaney write and delete?
In the now-deleted post, Pearle Maaney wrote, “My post should have come with a trigger warning I guess! It has made a lot of people uncomfortable! It has triggered so many people that I want peace safety and non violence. I wonder who these people are. A failed filmmaker now writing a 10 page script about my 4 page post. Adding chili powder and ajinomoto to make it as unhealthy as possible.”
She added, “Some are asking sarcastically if my 2 kids are safe now. Reminding me that they are girls. Well I know they are girls so? Oh! Blackmailing me to change my statement? U have to first touch their momma bear for that. You are messing with the wrong person. U don’t have to give me freedom of speech, I already have it and will use it. Not ur usual puppet. I am Pearle Maaney. And yes my favourite colour is saffron! I think I love it the most on our Indian flag.”
Sibi Malayil’s son responds
Acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Sibi Malayil’s son Joe took to his Instagram Stories and called out Pearle. He wrote, “Hey momma bear that ‘failed filmmaker’ is my father. Check properly before who you are dealing with. How lazy must you be to read 7 slides? You expect 5.7 million followers to read your half cooked diplomacy and 7 slides is too much for you? Since you made this personal, let the games begin. ‘That failed filmmaker’ didn’t raise a son without a spine, unlike your father who raised a coward. PS his name is Siby Malayil. Go ahead. Do your best.”
Joe had earlier penned a statement criticising Pearle’s comments on the student protest, calling her advice for students to go back home ‘peak stupidity.’ Three days after police lathi charged on students protesting at Jantar Mantar, Pearle Maaney spoke out on the CJP protests. She disabled the comments and wrote in the caption, ‘The comments section is a reflection of my Freedom of Speech.’
Meanwhile, the swelling Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar prompted PM Modi to issue a rare video message late Friday, acknowledging the scale of the issue and announcing that the Centre will move a bill providing for fast-track courts and stricter punishment for those involved.
The assurance was followed by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk ending his hunger strike, who made the decision after meeting Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital. Sonam Wangchuk, who joined the CJP protest on June 28, had been on a hunger strike to push the demands of the protesters of government accountability in exam irregularities as well as education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.