CHENNAI: An FIR was registered against an assistant director of filmmaker Pa Ranjith, Vigneshwaran alias Viduthalai Sigappi, for reciting a poem on manual scavenging that allegedly insulted Hindu gods at a literary event that was organised by Pa Ranjith’s Neelam Cultural Centre on April 30.
The FIR was filed by Abhiramapuram police based on a complaint filed by Suresh Parthasarathi, president, Bharath Hindu Munnani. A case under sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (1) (a) (promote enmity between groups through words), 295 (A) (deliberate act insulting religion), 505 (1) (b) (causing fear and alarm in public), 505 (2) (statements promoting enmity) of IPC was booked.
In a statement through his Neelam Cultural Centre’s account, Ranjith pointed out that the viral video was taken out of context. He said the speech was made on April 30 as part of a literary event organised by Neelam Cultural Centre.
According to a statement from the Neelam Cultural Centre, Viduthalai Sigappi had commented while reciting a poem about whether the manual scavenging deaths would be noticed if the gods were subjected to a similar ordeal.
He had made the point to emphasise how the system turns a blind eye to the deaths of the underprivileged who are engaged in manual scavenging.
The poem’s main goal was to draw attention to the negative effects of manual scavenging. Unsavoury elements have given it a religious colour and distracted the matter instead of paying attention to that, the statement said. VCK deputy secretary, Vanniarasu, among others, has strongly criticised the police for booking Vigneshwaran.
Viral video was taken out of context, says director
In response to the FIR, filmmaker Ranjith took to social media and expressed his condemnations for the police succumbing to pressure from fascist groups