A 45-year-old folk singer was arrested on Friday by the Chennai city police from his house in a village near Tiruchy on charges of sedition after a video song performed by him demanding closure of State-run TASMAC liquor shops went viral on social media.Police sources said S Sivadas alias Kovan (45), in the song titled Ooruku ooruku sarayam had carried out personal and derogatory attacks on people holding constitutional posts and promoted enmity between different groups. It also induced people to commit offence against the State and against the public tranquility. Hence, he has been booked on sedition charge.
The Central Crime Branch on the Chennai police have registered a case under these charges against Kovan and also Kannaiyan Ramadoss alias Kaliappan, proprieter of Vinavu.com and joint-state-secretary of Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam (People’s Art and Literary Association - PALA). Kovan is the art and literary wing organiser of the association.
Kovan’s family members have criticised the Chennai police for the wee-hour arrest and failure to inform the family members about the arrest. “Around 2.30 am, he opened the door on hearing knocks.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party chief Muthuvel Karunanidhi, on Saturday slammed the Jayalalithaa’s government for arresting Kovan. The former chief minister of the Tamil Nadu, condemned the arrest and called it an example of strangulation of democracy under the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) under the rule of ‘Amma’.
However, Chennai police said the stringent provisions of law were invoked because the content of the video song amounted to personal and derogatory attacks on people holding high offices.
