@Evening: ⏰ How Long Will Proximity To Power Shield Tamil Lyricist Vairamuthu, Who Faces #MeToo Allegations?

🤔 Not even an FIR?!

Noted Tamil poet-lyricist Vairamuthu is accused of sexual harassment.

• Allegations have come from at least 15 women, including popular playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada.

• Yet, the Tamil Nadu CM has no qualms about rubbing shoulders with Vairamuthu in public spaces.

• Vairamuthu has been complacent in the realisation that his closeness to the DMK and its first family will keep the state police away from his doors, and it has, K Balakumar writes in Swarajya today.

• But for how long will it be this way, as voices of protest ring louder?

Contrasting cases. Consider the wrestlers' protest in the national capital.

• They are demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually exploiting women grapplers.

• While an FIR has been filed in the wrestlers’ case, not even a formal enquiry has been ordered into allegations against Vairamuthu.

• Thus, when M K Stalin tweeted in support of the protesting wrestlers, singer Chinmayi couldn't resist pointing out his doubled standard.

And what about Kamal Haasan? Vairamuthu has used his links with Kollywood megastars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan as a handy buffer against any attack.

• Long-term associates Mani Ratnam and A R Rehman, too, have not spoken out against the lyricist, but at least they had the grace and gumption to drop him from their prestigious venture Ponniyin Selvan.

• Until then, the trio had forged a successful partnership in the Tamil film industry, since the days of Roja in 1992.

• Chinmayi, however, exposed Haasan's duplicity when the actor tweeted in solidarity of the ongoing wrestlers' protest.

• Haasan has not responded to her.

Keeping the fight alive. The case is discussed even today only because Chinmayi has been relentless.

• She has been hounded and trolled viciously by the DMK IT wing lackeys for the allegations against Vairamuthu.

• The attacks against her have been bigoted and toxic, and, as is always the case in Tamil Nadu, casteist.

• Chinmayi is believed to be a Brahmin, and in Tamil Nadu, everyone sees that as valid ground to spew all kinds of vitriol.

• Chinmayi has persevered in battle and exposed the chicanery of the ruling party politicos and actors like Haasan on this issue.

Silence from the media and other quarters. The Vairamuthu issue has now been mainstreamed by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai.

• He has spoken about how Vairamuthu has got off scot-free so far.

• But even that section of the media which likes to flaunt its woke cred has been less than serious in pinning down Vairamuthu.

• The mainstream media heartlessly grilled Chinmayi at a presser, but has refused to go anywhere near her alleged harasser, Vairamuthu.

• The media and Tamil society have let down Chinmayi, but what of the liberal sections that always rush to the aid of people like T M Krishna?

• It does seem like liberals have two standards, and their choices seem more political and less moral.

Bottom line: As questions are being raised now over prominent figures looking the other way on the matter, hopefully, Vairamuthu soon faces up to some questions, too — from the police and the court.