The ongoing internal dispute within the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) had intensified in recent weeks, with resignations by several Executive Committee members, allegations of unilateral decision-making and calls for fresh elections. President Poonam Dhillon has rejected the allegations, while maintaining that she and Padmini Kolhapure have been working in the interest of the association and its members.
Padmini Kolhapure, Poonam Dhillon and Upasana Singh amid an ongoing dispute within CINTAA over its functioning, resignations and proposed elections.
With questions also being raised over the validity of the Executive Committee and the recent Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), Kolhapure, who is now serving as CINTAA’s General Secretary, speaks exclusively to Bombay Times about the controversy, the competing claims and why she believes the association’s functioning has been misrepresented.Padmini Kolhapure, General Secretary, CINTAA, spoke about the strong turnout at the recent meeting reflected members’ engagement with the association’s affairs. “The overwhelming turnout of more than 400 members was a clear reflection of their interest and engagement in the affairs of CINTAA.”She explained, “The past EC members and Upasana Singh created a huge misunderstanding. If she is claiming that the committee is dissolved, why did she represent herself at the Registrar’s office as the General Secretary? The Registrar’s letter states that the association’s GS came and filed the complaint. She has completely misled them. She herself has been claiming that the committee is dissolved, yet she went and filed the complaint as GS? She also represented herself as the GS at Amboli Police Station and CCed the letter to the Labour Department. So, she is just contradicting her own statements. The interpretation placed on the Deputy Registrar’s communication was incorrect and created a misleading impression about the validity and conduct of the EGM. They did not understand the Marathi word ‘sthagit kiya’.”She signed off saying, “CINTAA will continue to function with transparency, adherence to its Constitution and respect for the collective mandate of its members.”