Kerala rapper Vedan has raised the arrest of detained Eelam Tamil artist Sangeethsan Ganeskumar with Tamil Nadu's Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu, as condemnation of the Sri Lankan government's use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) against the young rapper continues to spread.
Vedan, known for his music confronting caste oppression and social injustice, met the minister in Chennai on Tuesday ahead of his appearance at the Vanakkam Chennai event. He said the arrest of a fellow artist for singing had moved him to seek the meeting in person.
"Recently, a Tamil young man named Sangeethan was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for singing, and I was deeply saddened by the incident. Tamil Nadu's Social Justice Minister has consistently been among those who speak out on issues of this nature, and I wished to discuss the matter with him in person," Vedan said.
Vanni Arasu condemned the arrest in unambiguous terms.
"The arrest of a Tamil Eelam rap singer under the PTA was unacceptable. The Anura Kumara Dissanayake government claims to stand firmly for equality. However, this action demonstrates otherwise. The PTA must be described for what it is — a state instrument of intimidation used to threaten protesters, young people, and those who dare to express their convictions," he said.
Vedan also spoke of his own experience of being targeted for his music, telling the minister that he had repeatedly faced legal action and arrest attempts over the messages in his songs.
"I continue to face numerous difficulties because of the songs I sing. There are ongoing efforts to silence my voice. The reason I came to meet you, sir, is that I am being arrested for my songs. I seek your intervention and action on this matter," he reportedly stated.
The minister honoured Vedan with a ceremonial shawl and welcomed the members of his accompanying delegation, engaging them in discussion at length.
Vedan, whose real name is Hirandas Murali, carries a personal connection to the Eelam Tamil struggle. His mother is an Eelam Tamil from Jaffna who fled to India during the armed conflict and was granted asylum before later receiving Indian citizenship. Born in Thrissur and raised in a railway colony, he rose to prominence with his 2020 debut album Voice of the Voiceless, which took direct aim at caste hierarchy in Kerala, and went on to win the Kerala State Film Award for Best Lyricist. His own arrests in April 2025, over the alleged possession of six grams of cannabis and a leopard tooth pendant gifted by a fan, drew widespread allegations from Dalit activists and lawyers of caste-based targeting and selective enforcement, with critics noting that far more serious wildlife allegations against prominent upper-caste figures in the film industry had gone unpunished.
His intervention adds a prominent anti-caste voice from Kerala to the chorus demanding Sangeethsan's release. The 24-year-old from Udayanagar, Kilinochchi, known as Hiphop Sangee, was arrested on 2 June after Sri Lankan authorities alleged that videos uploaded to social media following a temple festival performance in Navatkuli, Chavakachcheri promoted the LTTE. He has been remanded until 17 June, with a fundamental rights petition to be filed before Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on his behalf.
Protests demanding his release have swept the North-East, while solidarity has grown in Tamil Nadu and internationally. Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman demanded Sangeethsan's immediate release, questioning how a song could be treated as a security threat more than seventeen years after the end of the armed conflict, while the mayor of Brampton called for his immediate release and Amnesty International cited his case in renewed calls for the repeal of the PTA.
Vanni Arasu, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi legislative party leader who took office as Social Justice Minister in May, has himself championed the Eelam Tamil cause in the new Tamil Nadu government. Last month, he called on the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to support the right of Eelam Tamils to self-rule, including the restoration of an independent Tamil Eelam, and urged the state to formally commemorate 18 May as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day.
