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Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
CPM changes tune, celebrates Malayalam rapper Vedan as Sangh goes after him
WITH KERALA in poll mode, politics is swirling around a Dalit rapper in his 30s, whose controversial arrest in a ganja case has only added to his rising popularity. Days after Vedan was the star of a show at a Left Democratic Front (LDF) event in Palakkad marking the fourth anniversary of its government, a local BJP councillor filed a formal complaint against the rapper-songwriter, accusing him of 'defaming' Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 'promoting' caste-based division through his music. The LDF's celebration of Vedan was itself a contrast from his recent arrest on what were seen to be flimsy charges, with raids carried out in full camera glare to seize 9 grams of ganja from him and others. A leopard tooth pendant he wore led to another case against him. On his release on bail, Vedan promised to 'mend his habits'. It was not the first time Vedan found himself in a controversy. In 2021, he was accused of sexual misconduct. In an apology posted on social media then, he had written: 'I feel great self-contempt and terrible regret as I look back on the lapses in my conduct towards you, my women friends and partners who came to me in trust and friendship.' At the Palakkad event, the crowd ignored the ministers and party leaders on the dais to cheer for Vedan. Hundreds swarmed the stage, clapping and singing along as he rapped in Malayalam: 'We'll stitch a palace out of sheer dreams / Where the minister and the king are both… us.' Upliftment of people from all walks of life remains the cornerstone of the LDF Govt's development vision. At today's interaction in Palakkad with representatives from the SC/ST communities, reiterated our commitment to inclusivity and heard inspiring suggestions to guide the way… — Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) May 18, 2025 As the surging mob caused damage to the venue, police had to resort to a lathicharge. The complaint against Vedan, made by V S Minimol, a BJP Councillor at the Palakkad Municipality – marked to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the NIA – coincided with the charge by K P Sasikala, a leader of the Sangh-affiliated Hindu Aikyavedi, also in Palakkad, that society was being 'humiliated' by Vedan's 'improperly dressed antics'. She also questioned the relevance of rap music to SC/STs. What is believed to have earned the ire of the Hindutva right-wing is the Vedan song 'Voice of the Voiceless', where he sings: 'In a land of counterfeit nationalists, where faith and caste are plagues / With no true leader, only burdens that taxes can't erase / Half the nation lies in the hands of those who wield swords / But speak a word… and they'll brand you anti-nationalist, a radical, unheard.' The editor-in-chief of the Sangh's Malayalam mouthpiece Kesari, N R Madhu, recently called Vedan a 'misguided youth' who has become 'a tool in the hands of jihadis' and was promoting 'armed uprising'. It was wrong to see him as fighting caste oppression, Madhu said. 'In the name of opposing caste oppression, he is creating rifts within society.' In a recent interview to the Malayalam news channel Reporter, Madhu said Vedan was 'being propped up by those with ulterior motives', suggesting that they were 'jihadis'. 'He is being promoted because he sings about Syria and Palestine. He wrapped himself in the Palestine flag (at a show) and got support.' Madhu has also spoken about Vedan's writings on the Rohingya and about the LTTE. 'He has written about Tigers (LTTE militants) roaming thirsty in Lanka. Doesn't this mean that he is promoting armed uprising?' said Madhu in the interview. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Vedan said Sasikala's remarks against him were an attempt to portray him as 'an extremist, separatist, or a troublemaker', and that the disparaging remarks against him showed that what he was doing was having the desired effect. On Sasikala's comment that 'rap has no connection with the SC/ST community', Vedan said it was democracy and extreme Hindutva politics of the Sangh Parivar that had no link. Sasikala's remarks reflected an attitude among people like her that SC/STs should not pursue anything different such as becoming an artiste, Vedan said. 'I don't have the voice to sing classical songs – if I did, I would. I can only sing rap,' he told reporters in Kochi. Born in Thrissur to a Sri Lankan Tamil migrant mother and a Dalit labourer father, Vedan, whose real name is Hiran Das Murali, has risen to popularity on the strength of his music that speaks of the marginalised. His lyrics, denouncing right-wing politics, derive inspiration from his mother's refugee identity and turbulent life. A senior CPI(M) minister, requesting anonymity, said Vedan's support could be a boost for the party. 'Take an average person in his 20s… why should he work for the CPI(M) or the Congress or the BJP in Kerala? We have nothing – neither leaders nor a convincing ideology to attract them. These kids are alienated, they feel their prospects are very weak. Many are those who could not go abroad. And they see a release, a voice, in Vedan.' The RSS's opposition to Vedan has also prompted the Left to try and co-opt him. Vedan writes and sings against 'right-wing, divisive politics, Islamophobia and caste oppression', a source close to him points out. 'There is enough lashing out against Savarna politics.' CPI(M) veteran P Jayarajan has criticised Sasikala's remarks against Vedan as 'caste abuse', and demanded that a case be filed against her. Vedan's associates say: 'His lyrics are about anger and dignity, not guns. But because he doesn't fit any box – Left, Right, Dalit icon or Muslim sympathiser – they're trying to corner him from all sides.' with PTI inputs
Pink Villa
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Vedan's Palakkad concert ends in chaos as stampede leaves 15 injured; here's what happened
Rapper Vedan is one of the most popular artists in South India, especially in Kerala. Recently, his concert was held at Palakkad Kotta Maithanam on Sunday and a massive crowd turned up for the event. According to a Mathrubhumi report, the situation at the venue spiraled out of control due to the overwhelming turnout, and the police had to resort to a lathi charge. According to the report, organizers were forced to shut the venue entry by 6 PM due to overcrowding. However, a stampede occurred soon after, leaving several people injured. Those affected were quickly taken to the district hospital for treatment. The situation worsened when a scuffle broke out between the police and event organizers. Tensions flared as officials struggled to manage the crowd. Authorities sealed all gates and rerouted traffic to ease congestion around the venue. The event was scheduled for the evening of May 18, but the massive turnout exceeded all expectations. Earlier that day, Vedan had made an appearance at a government function with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The CM welcomed the artist warmly, which reportedly contributed to the spike in interest for Vedan's concert later that evening. As the crowd swelled, many attendees near the stage complained of dizziness and breathlessness. Medical teams were stationed at the site, and although there were injuries, no major casualties were reported. According to a report by Kerala Kaumudi, nearly 15 people were injured during a stampede-like situation at Vedan's concert. Hirandas Murali, better known as Vedan, is a rapper and lyricist from Kerala's Thrissur district. He gained recognition in June 2020 after releasing his debut music video, Voice of the Voiceless, on YouTube, which quickly went viral. His next release was Bhoomi Njan Vazhunidam. Last year, he did a promo song for Manjummel Boys. Vedan also lent his voice to Maranathin Niram in No Way Out. His 2024 work includes Kondal Vedan Song and Kisses in the Clouds. The rapper also featured in KSHMR's album KARAM and released singles like Budhanayi Pira, Vaa, and Social Criminal.
New Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Another anthem: Rhyme & reason of a resistance
Vedan means hunter in Malayalam. Recall that Valmiki, the author of the Ramayan once referred to as Ratnakara, was also a hunter. In Kerala, where just about every other person you run into is either a professor or a poet—and, unreasonably, often both—the man making waves with his music is a rap artiste: Hirandas Murali, or Vedan, as he likes to call himself. A slender man in his early 20s with eyes bright as bulbs, a funky hairstyle, and skin dark as the night that befalls the forest. Vedan's viewership runs into millions. Never has social media technology been so keenly weaponised to subvert the caste system in the curated progressivism of a narcissistic state. Even better, in a country that is now competing to take credit for the caste census, Vedan shows the way. He is not begging for mercy or appealing for justice, but rapping out a code of power in his art. He is what psychologists call 'resourced'—resourced enough to start a cultural war. On April 30, a district court in Kerala granted Vedan bail in a wildlife case—he wore a 'tiger tooth' as a locket—citing a weak prima facie case pending forensic analysis of the 'tiger tooth'; gifted, Vedan says, by a fan. Earlier in the week, he had been arrested for possession of 6 grams of cannabis. Conditions included a Rs 50,000 bond, passport surrender and weekly check-ins. There was also a cache of Rs 9.5 lakh in cash in his apartment. Emerging into sunlight, Vedan spoke with Valmiki-like resolve: 'I'm trying to be better,' he said, apologising to young fans for his narcotics use. 'These aren't good habits.' Vedan's 2020 debut, 'Voice of the Voiceless', was a proclamation of his independence. Though not too many people have made the connection, poets like the late Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan used a similar thesaurus for their poems to challenge the status quo.
The Hindu
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Rapper Vedan to perform at Ente Keralam expo in Idukki
The Kerala government has invited rapper Hirandas Murali, also known as Vedan, to perform at the Ente Keralam expo to be held at Vazhathope in Idukki on Monday (May 5, 2025). According to officials, the show will be held at 8 p.m. The decision comes after Mr. Vedan was granted bail in connection with a case filed against him by the Forest department for the possession of a pendant made of a suspected leopard tooth. In the wake of his arrest, the government had cancelled his earlier show scheduled for April 29. The government decided to give the rapper another chance to perform at the venue after support for him poured in from various corners. CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan, along with other leaders, flayed the arrest and action against the singer. According to officials, Mr. Vedan was arrested by the Forest department under the Wildlife Protection Act hours after he was released on bail by police in a case related to possession of 6 g of cannabis in a flat in Kochi on April 28. According to the police, they noticed that Mr. Vedan was wearing a pendant allegedly having a leopard tooth during a drive against drugs. The singer was arrested and a case was registered against him by forest officials after the police alerted them. But the immediate arrest by the Forest department raised public anger. Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran initially defended the singer's arrest, but he changed his stance following public outcry on social media. Mr. Vedan, a native of Thrissur district, emerged as a rap singer around five years ago when he released the album Voice of the Voiceless. The album became a hit, and he emerged as a famous rap singer. Meanwhile, Monday marks the conclusion of the one-week-long Ente Keralam expo, which features various government department pavilions and the LDF's featured programmes. Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine had inaugurated the expo on April 29.
The Print
01-05-2025
- The Print
How rapper Vedan's arrest in back-to-back cases has sparked debate on caste & suppression in Kerala
The 30-year-old rapper Hirandas Murali, famous by his stage name Vedan (hunter), was arrested Monday with eight others after police allegedly seized 6 grams of ganja from his apartment in Tripunithura near Kochi. Though he was released on bail, the Dalit rapper was arrested again the same day, this time by Kodanad forest range officials for allegedly wearing a chain with a suspected tiger's tooth. The artist was booked under non-bailable charges under multiple sections of the Wildlife Protection Act. With the video for this song—filmed in red and blue tones symbolising the ideologies of Karl Marx and B.R. Ambedkar—began the rise of an artist in Kerala determined to use his voice to speak about caste and politics. Thiruvananthapuram: 'I am not Paanan, Parayan or Pulayan, and you are no lord. Even if you are, I don't give a f**k,' rapped Vedan in his debut album Voice of the Voiceless, released in June 2020. Dressed in a black shirt, the young artist delivered his colourful verses, taking aim at entrenched casteism and amplifying the voices of communities relegated to the lowest rungs of the social hierarchy—including the three he named. He was out again Wednesday evening thanks to bail granted by a court in Ernakulam. But his arrests in quick succession sparked a controversy in the state with many alleging he was being targeted for his caste and politics. 'There is a legal side to it. Considering the amount of ganja was small, it was a bailable offense. So the police informed the forest department too soon. When we look at the events and media reporting (on it), it seems they wanted him arrested,' Dr O.K. Santhosh, a Dalit writer and the Assistant Professor of Malayalam at the Madras University, told ThePrint. ThePrint reached Kodanad forest department officials via calls. This report will be updated if and when a response is received. Santhosh said that how Vedan is being treated in the media shows disrespect to an artist whose performance in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram drew audiences beyond capacity. Vedan's performance in Thiruvananthapuram's Nishagandhi auditorium Thursday as part of Cooperative Expo-2025 raised serious safety concerns as the venue got overcrowded, leading to a ruckus. 'I do see caste in this issue,' Santhosh said. 'In Kerala, only tribals, Dalits, and minorities face police atrocities. People who have committed even bigger mistakes are still out in public.' Vedan's arrest also reminded people of the 2012 case against Malayalam superstar Mohanlal who was found in possession of four ivory tusks and ivory artefacts during a raid by income tax officials. In September 2024, the Kerala High Court stayed trial proceedings against the actor for six months, while Mohanlal's counsel argued that the possessions were legal. The case remains sub-judice. The police action against Vedan was also called out by other prominent people including state-based writer Sunil P Ilayidom, former Metropolitan of the Niranam Diocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church Dr Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, singer Shahabaz Aman and actor Lali PM. 'In this country, not only people, but even animals and their body parts are subjected to caste. I stand in solidarity with Vedan's politics of 'blackness' and against drugs. Let his revolution against 'white gods' continue,' Geevarghese Mar Coorilos wrote on his Facebook page. Amid the controversy, Vedan released a new album, Mauna Loa, Wednesday and it had garnered nearly 7 lakh views by Thursday afternoon. Kerala Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran said the events that led to Vedan's arrest and the subsequent incidents were unfortunate. In a statement issued Wednesday night, the minister said he had sought explanations from Kodanad forest department officials for interacting with the media and violating the code of conduct. 'Vedan is an artiste with much hope as a politically aware young artiste. So, he has to rectify the doings that led to the arrest. The forest department will support him for that. There are some legal issues with the case. Let it take its course. I wish Vedan a strong comeback,' Sasseendran said in a media statement. Also read: Kerala Left is becoming indistinguishable from Right—turncoats, ideological erosion, hypocrisy Shadow of past controversies Vedan hails from the Thrissur district. His first album Voice of voiceless in June 2020 featured his own neighbourhood named Swapnabhoomi, a locality near the Thrissur Railway station and which houses many Dalit families. In an interview with a Malayalam YouTube channel, The Cue, Vedan had said the album faced many budgetary constraints and was shot at just Rs 10,000. 'The visuals show the area where I grew up, and I see it daily. Even now, the place is used to dump the waste collected from the district. In the song, I wanted to portray the people I am talking about,' he said in the interview. After the song's success, the artist went on to create his next album, Bhoomi njan vaazhunnidam (the earth that I live on), the same year. While the first album talked about social inequality due to casteism, the latter one touched issues including the 2020 civil war in Syria, the Israel-Palestine crisis, and issues in India which he described as a 'place in darkness'. In 2024, the artist collaborated with composer Sushin Shyam as a lyricist of the song 'Kuthanthram' for the popular movie Manjummel Boys. The latest case has also brought his past controversies back into the limelight. In 2021, multiple women raised allegations of sexual misconduct against the rapper through social media. No formal complaint was filed. Following the allegations, Vedan issued a public apology on social media. Recently, the artiste sparked debate for reacting to the controversy related to the Malayalam movie Empuraan during a stage performance. 'It is an era where even making a film could invite an Enforcement Directorate raid. Hope you are aware of what people around you are talking about. You are college-going youth—grow into politically aware individuals,' the rapper told his audiences during a performance in Kochi. This happened soon after Empuraan director Prithiviraj Sukumaran and producer Antony Perumbavoor received income tax notices, and the ED conducted raids on the office premises of movie's producer Gokulam Gopalan. The Mohanlal movie received backlash from rightwing groups for the portrayal of the 2002 Gujarat riots. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also read: There's no questioning 'Captain' Vijayan in Kerala—not even his oversized role in LDF's defeat
