300 artistes in Tamil Nadu launch petition to support director Pa Ranjith

The director was recently granted by the Madras High Court in a complaint against him over his June 5 speech on emperor Raja Raja Chozhan.
300 artistes in Tamil Nadu launch petition to support director Pa Ranjith
300 artistes in Tamil Nadu launch petition to support director Pa Ranjith
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More than 300 artistes in Tamil Nadu have come out in support of film director Pa Ranjith over his June 5 speech on emperor Raja Raja Chozhan. The artistes, united under the umbrella of ‘Coalition for Artist's Right to Speech,’ have spoken against Ranjith being ‘intimidated’ and receiving death threats and police action, for merely expressing his point of view.

The artistes have also started an online petition, addressed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, to stop legal action against Ranjith. At the time of publishing, the petition had over 6,000 signatures.

Director Pa Ranjith’s June 5 speech had triggered controversy and a case was filed against him. He has been granted anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court. The case will be heard again on Wednesday.

Speaking on the death anniversary of Umar Farooq, the founder of Blue Panthers Party (Neela Puligal Iyakkam) at Kumbakonam, Ranjith had said how caste divisions and discrimination did not figure in common conversations surrounding Tamil pride and community.   

In this context, he elaborated on how there was a battle in Tamil Nadu to claim Raja Raja Chozhan as their own by different caste groups, include the Paraiyars (a Dalit caste). However, Ranjith said that he had no interest in claiming ownership over Raja Raja Chozhan because his rule was a “dark period for Dalits,” contrary to popular belief.  

The artistes have voiced their protest against Ranjith being intimidated for merely expressing his point of view.

Police in Tamil Nadu had started proceedings against him after registering a case against him under IPC 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 153 (A) (1) (a) (promoting enmity between different groups) on the Kaala director based on a complaint by a Hindu Makkal Katchi functionary.

Read their full statement:

On June 5th 2019, filmmaker Pa Ranjith participated and spoke in an event to commemorate the death anniversary of T.M Umar Farooq (aka) TM Mani - founder of the Blue Tigers organization at Thirupananthal in Thanjavur district. Since the event was taking place in the delta region and because T.M Umar Farooq had fought for the land and other rights of Dalits in the region, Pa Ranjith spoke in particular about the significance of land rights for Dalits. His speech was critical of the oppressed groups misleading themselves through false claims of monarchical clan. He also criticised the commonly claimed monarchical clan of Raja Raja Chozhan’s rule and held it responsible for usurping the land rights of oppressed groups. The arguments placed by Pa Ranjith aren’t particularly new. In fact, these arguments are based on the discussions that are on-going in intellectual and political arena Brought into discourse by Left historians, this view has been there in the intellectual and political spheres. While there might have been both welcoming and disapproving voices to such perspectives, the freedom and liberty to place them have always existed. While we have the liberty to celebrate the art and architectural developments of Raja Raja Chozhan’s period, it is important to extend the same liberty to question, debate and comment on the living conditions of common people during his rule or pay attention to less introspected details like the land rights of oppressed groups. Even if it is not easy to accept an intellectually contrarian perspective, it is important to protect the freedom and liberty to express it. Our perspectives can be refined only through debates and discussions and not by stifling them. However, Pa Ranjith has been intimidated for merely expressing his point of view. Several communal and caste outfits have sent out threats. Through social media and wall posters, threats to attack or kill him and prevent the release of his films have been made. Thirupananthal police station has suo-moto filed a case against him under two sections without any prima facie. While critical thinking is the primary foundation of any creation, the comments of the judiciary on the case has further saddened us. We fear that this trend is not limited to suppressing Pa Ranjith’s freedom of expression, but might extend to the crackdown of freedom of expression at large. The communal, caste and ethnic groups always tend to attack the freedom to express. In Ranjith’s case, all these three forces have come together. At this moment, we extend our complete solidarity to protect Pa Ranjith’s freedom of expression (sic).

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