Playback singer and MeToo advocate Chinmayi Sripaada has publicly criticised Tamil Nadu’s political leadership over recent meetings with Malayalam rapper Vedan (Hirandas Murali), who faces allegations of sexual harassment. Writing on her social media accounts on June 11, 2026, she objected to senior leaders meeting and, in her view, lending credibility to an artist carrying such allegations.
The issue surfaced after footage emerged of Tamil Nadu Education Minister Rajmohan Arumugam meeting the rapper, followed by further footage of Vedan with former Deputy Chief Minister and actor-producer Udhayanidhi Stalin. Chinmayi argued that giving public platforms to people facing credible harassment allegations sends the wrong message to women who come forward.
Her own experience
Chinmayi recalled an episode from the pandemic period that, she said, shaped how she chooses her work. During the lockdown, an independent music project had been announced featuring her along with composer Govind Vasantha, lyricist-filmmaker Muhsin Parari and Vedan. In a later Malayalam-language Clubhouse session, a participant asked how she, as an advocate for survivors, could justify working with someone facing such accusations.
She explained that because most of the reporting on the allegations had appeared in Malayalam media, she had been unaware of them when she signed on. After looking into the matter herself — and, she said, seeing Vedan issue a public statement acknowledging misconduct and apologising — she withdrew, and the collaborative track was cancelled. Chinmayi added that she has turned down performance opportunities over the years to avoid sharing a platform with people accused of abuse, which is why the recent political meetings were difficult for her to see.
A broader point about counter-culture figures
Chinmayi also made a wider argument: that some artists who present themselves as anti-establishment or anti-caste voices can replicate the very harms they speak out against, and that women who raise complaints against a celebrated figure often face isolation rather than support because the person is treated as too important to lose. She said women are frequently pressured to stay quiet for the sake of a “larger cause.”
She closed by addressing the newer political leadership, including TVK chief Vijay, expressing hope that it would adopt a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and break from older habits. Vedan has previously responded to the allegations publicly; the politicians named have not issued detailed responses to Chinmayi’s specific criticism.
Leave a Reply