Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; December 30, 2014)

Barely three days ago, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) dissolved the Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union amidst allegations of criminal intimidation and disruption of film shoots by its members.

Now it has emerged that the union's chairman Mithun Chakraborty had resigned about a year ago but the workers were kept in the dark about it. The actor had been leading the union since 1989.

FWICE president Kamlesh Pandey says, “It is true that he resigned a long time ago. He may have had his personal reasons but we feel he may have come to know what Gangeshwar Shrivastav (union general secretary who was expelled) was up to. In fact, Gangeshwar may have hidden the fact of his resignation only to be able to exploit it to his advantage and was falsely claiming that Mithunda was supporting him.”

Pandey adds that the veteran star had clarified about his resignation to Cine and Television Artistes Association general secretary and actor, Pankaj Dheer. “In the current scenario, Mithunda stands with us,” he asserts.

Gangeshwar, on the other hand, states that the union never accepted the resignation. “We consider Mithunda as our chairman and will continue to do so. Even when he tendered his resignation saying that he was planning to join politics, he told us that he will always back the cause of workers’ welfare.”

Chakraborty was not available for comment.