Actress Shwetha Menon says she resigns from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for “self-respect,” rejecting claims that her decision is driven by politics. In statements shared through media interactions and social media posts, she says she refused to act as anyone’s “puppet” and argues she had the support of a majority of AMMA members when she won an election within the organisation. Menon alleges that efforts to investigate alleged irregularities from previous AMMA committees were blocked, and she calls for a comprehensive forensic audit of AMMA accounts covering the last two terms. She also claims a “character assassination” campaign began before the association’s elections and describes her resignation as based on conscience and principles rather than party alignment. Menon says she is not aligned with the BJP or the Left, and notes she did not attend functions organised by those governments even after becoming AMMA president. Police complaints and internal controversies are also reported as part of the broader turmoil leading to the executive committee’s resignation on June 21. Actress Mallika Sukumaran publicly supports Menon’s exit.