Singer Chinmayi calls out TVK and DMK over platforming sexual abuser Vedan
Singer Chinmayi Sripaada criticised Vijay's party TVK, MLA Rajmohan and DMK for platforming rapper Vedan despite past sexual allegations against him. She said women who speak up against influential men are often left without support while such figures continue to be platformed.
Singer Chinmayi Sripaada on Thursday criticised Chief Minister Vijay-led Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) and MLA Rajmohan for, in her words, treating rapper Vedan with respect at their recent meeting. Vedan, in the past, has been accused of sexual harassment by many women. In a post, she said she hoped they would not repeat what she described as the practice of platforming men accused of serious sexual harassment and assault.
Chinmayi also said she had first learnt about Vedan being a MeToo accused during the Covid-19 period, when she attended a Malayalam Clubhouse session and was asked how she could work with him. She said a planned collaboration involving Govind Vasantha, Muhsin Parari, Vedan and her was later dropped, and added that she had since refused to take part in concerts featuring Vedan despite the impact on her own work and opportunities.
Calling out the recent meeting, Chinmayi wrote, "I hope TVK and Rajmohan do not do exactly what the previous regimens did in men platforming accused of serious sexual harassment / assault allegations."
Recounting the episode, she wrote, "During Covid, a song was announced as a collaboration between Govind Vasantha, Muhsin Parari, Vedan and me. I participated in Malayalam based Clubhouse event in which a woman asked me how I could work with Vedan. At that point, the reports were predominantly in Malayalam and I had no knowledge of it. He later put out a statement apologising and that he was wrong. The project was dropped. Vedan has since been named by others (sic)."
She also said she had stayed away from events featuring Vedan because of his past. "I routinely turned down concerts that he was a part of at great loss to my own work and opportunities - Men using social activism as a facade to violate women’s consent is not acceptable," Chinmayi wrote.
Vedan is known for using his songs as a form of social activism, with lyrics addressing caste-based prejudice, systemic discrimination and social inequality. The remarks also come at a time when Vedan is in fresh trouble over possession of a leopard tooth.
Chinmayi further wrote that women often receive no backing when they speak up against men seen as public heroes. "The problem remains: women in similar social groups get no support when they want to name men like Vedan and stand absolutely alone because the man is a ‘hero’, a ‘leader’ and the women have to tolerate his transgressions for the ‘greater good’. Some of these men who have painted themselves as voices for those whose voice has been taken away, yet remain aggressors that they claim to fight. Enough is enough," she said.
She later shared a video posted by the X account DMK Youth Wing featuring opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin with Vedan. Posting the clip, Chinmayi wrote, "I have basically given up asking them not to platform a molester. So honestly."
Since 2018, Chinmayi has been calling out DMK and several other film personalities platforming veteran lyricist Vairamuthu, who was accused of sexual misconduct by nearly 18 women, including her.
Singer Chinmayi Sripaada on Thursday criticised Chief Minister Vijay-led Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) and MLA Rajmohan for, in her words, treating rapper Vedan with respect at their recent meeting. Vedan, in the past, has been accused of sexual harassment by many women. In a post, she said she hoped they would not repeat what she described as the practice of platforming men accused of serious sexual harassment and assault.
Chinmayi also said she had first learnt about Vedan being a MeToo accused during the Covid-19 period, when she attended a Malayalam Clubhouse session and was asked how she could work with him. She said a planned collaboration involving Govind Vasantha, Muhsin Parari, Vedan and her was later dropped, and added that she had since refused to take part in concerts featuring Vedan despite the impact on her own work and opportunities.
Calling out the recent meeting, Chinmayi wrote, "I hope TVK and Rajmohan do not do exactly what the previous regimens did in men platforming accused of serious sexual harassment / assault allegations."
Recounting the episode, she wrote, "During Covid, a song was announced as a collaboration between Govind Vasantha, Muhsin Parari, Vedan and me. I participated in Malayalam based Clubhouse event in which a woman asked me how I could work with Vedan. At that point, the reports were predominantly in Malayalam and I had no knowledge of it. He later put out a statement apologising and that he was wrong. The project was dropped. Vedan has since been named by others (sic)."
She also said she had stayed away from events featuring Vedan because of his past. "I routinely turned down concerts that he was a part of at great loss to my own work and opportunities - Men using social activism as a facade to violate women’s consent is not acceptable," Chinmayi wrote.
Vedan is known for using his songs as a form of social activism, with lyrics addressing caste-based prejudice, systemic discrimination and social inequality. The remarks also come at a time when Vedan is in fresh trouble over possession of a leopard tooth.
Chinmayi further wrote that women often receive no backing when they speak up against men seen as public heroes. "The problem remains: women in similar social groups get no support when they want to name men like Vedan and stand absolutely alone because the man is a ‘hero’, a ‘leader’ and the women have to tolerate his transgressions for the ‘greater good’. Some of these men who have painted themselves as voices for those whose voice has been taken away, yet remain aggressors that they claim to fight. Enough is enough," she said.
She later shared a video posted by the X account DMK Youth Wing featuring opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin with Vedan. Posting the clip, Chinmayi wrote, "I have basically given up asking them not to platform a molester. So honestly."
Since 2018, Chinmayi has been calling out DMK and several other film personalities platforming veteran lyricist Vairamuthu, who was accused of sexual misconduct by nearly 18 women, including her.
