The lyricist Vairamuthu has been facing sexual harassment allegations from singer Chinmayi and a few other women in the #MeToo movement for the past three weeks.
His younger son Kabilan Vairamuthu, who is also a writer and lyricist, has now leapt to his dad’s defence. In a lengthy statement titled Unmai Vellattum (Let truth triumph), Kabilan has explained how Vairamuthu is an inspiration to many and how he faced innumerous difficulties from childhood to get to where he is today. “People might ask why I am opening up now after keeping mum for so long. I was not in a proper mental state to explain things for a while. I thought I can still register my thoughts,” Kabilan says.
Kabilan Vairamuthu
He has a word of caution about the #MeToo movement itself as he believes it is dangerous to our society. “The trend of women blaming men and vice versa without evidence and far-sightedness is dangerous. I would say India’s biggest strength is its family structure and the imported (western) influence is slowly destroying our families in India. Whatever allegations were levelled on Appa should be legally sustainable. In a way, I feel by blowing it out of proportion and exploiting it for entertainment purposes, people are diverted from larger pressing issues in the country.”
Kabilan also recalled his dad’s earlier days when Vairamuthu, hailing from a remote village and a poor background, struggled to even pay the school fees and today has risen to the level of becoming an icon Tamilians can identify with.
“Some say there are hidden motives behind all these allegations against my father. A few argue that there are no such intentions. Whatever it may be, it should be sorted out legally,”he concludes.
