After cases were filed by the Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) against Viduthalai Sigappi (alias Vigneswaran) for reciting a poem titled Malakuzhi Maranam (Death in the Sewers) at a recent event, filmmaker Pa. Ranjith’s Neelam Cultural Centre defended the poet, condemning the police and State government for not understanding (or not wanting to understand) the core message of the poem and acting against creative freedom.
The poem depicts Lord Ram, Lord Lakshman and Goddess Sita entering the sewers to clear a blockage. The Twitter page of Indu Makkal Katchi posted the video of Mr. Sigappi’s recitation with a demand that he be arrested. “If you do not arrest this guy, IMK will put out videos of Prophet Mohammed and Jesus (Christ) in the same tone,” it said, tagging the official handles of the Tamil Nadu Police and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
Following a complaint from a functionary of the Bharat Hindu Munnani, a case was registered against Mr. Sigappi on Monday for using derogatory language against Hindu Gods. The complainant alleged that the speech hurt religious sentiments.
Mr. Ranjith, in a statement, said the poem reflected the reality of deaths that occur across India when human beings enter the sewers to clean them and strove to replace human beings with gods to underline the social issue.
“The poem’s intention is to ask a question of whether the death of Gods while cleaning sewers will evoke empathy. This is a part of a person’s creative freedom, and there was no intention to hurt any religious sentiment,” he added. He also criticised the ‘propaganda’ spread by certain groups on social media that Viduthalai Sigappi, a Hindu Adi Dravidar, belongs to another religion, and he is attacking Hinduism.
“An individual’s creative freedom is being turned into a religious conflict, and this is when democratic forces have to oppose these attacks. In the last three days, Viduthalai Sigappi has been threatened by these groups and his family members, who live in the village, are being questioned by the police,” he said.
