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Filmmaker Pa Ranjith has slammed Hindu right wing groups and the Tamil Nadu police for an First Information Report (FIR) registered against assistant director Viduthalai Sigappi, for a poem he recited at an event by Neelam Cultural Centre. The FIR was filed against Viduthalai Sigappi based on a complaint by a Hindu right-wing group called the Bharat Hindu Munnani, alleging the poem hurt Hindu sentiments. Reacting to this, Ranjith said, “I strongly condemn the anti-Dalit BJP, fascist Hindu organisations and the Tamil Nadu police department that has bowed to pressure by such groups.”
The poem was recited by Viduthalai Sigappi at the Vaanam Arts Festival organised by Pa Ranjith’s Neelam Cultural Centre. The festival was held throughout April in honour of Dalit History Month. At the event, on April 30, Viduthalai, recited a satirical Tamil poem criticising manual scavenging deaths that have occurred across India. The poem, titled ‘Malakuzhi Maranam (manhole deaths)’, has names of Hindu gods as characters and it is ‘Raman’ ‘Lakshmanan’ and ‘Hanuman’ who enter the manhole as ‘Sita’ watches on.
In his statement, Ranjith also says, “Viduthalai Sigappi, following in the steps of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, recited a poem that shows what would happen even if gods had to do manual scavenging work. The poem criticises the deaths due to manual scavenging that have occurred across India.” He also added that BJP and other right-wing organisations do not understand what the poem is trying to say.
இந்தியா முழுவதும் தொடரும் மலக்குழி மரணங்களை கண்டித்து, அதன் தீவிரத்தை உணர்த்தும் விதமாக இந்து புராண கதாபாத்திரங்களை, டாக்டர் பாபாசகேப் அம்பேத்கர் வழியில் நின்று , கடவுள்களாக இருந்தாலும் மலக்குழியில் இறங்கினால் அவர்களின் நிலை என்னவாகும் என்று புனைவின் வழியாக கவிதை வாசித்தார்… pic.twitter.com/HSBvbJmKQT
— pa.ranjith (@beemji) May 9, 2023
The Bharath Hindu Munnani filed a complaint against Viduthalai at the Abhiramapuram police station after videos from the event, including the poetry recitation, went viral on social media. Based on their complaint, an FIR was registered under IPC sections, 53 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (1)(a) (promoting religious enmity) 295 A (outraging religious sentiments), 505 (1)(b) (inciting fear or alarm among the public), and 505 (2) (promoting enmity between classes).