The Thirupanandal police filed a case against Tamil film director Pa Ranjith on Tuesday, for allegedly “inciting caste enmity”.
The Kaala director, who is also the founder of Nilam Panpattu Maiyam, had allegedly made comments about emperor Raja Raja Cholan while describing the plight of the Dalits during the Chola dynasty at a public meeting organised by the Blue Panthers Party at Thirupananthal on 5 June.
The meeting was held to commemorate the death anniversary of Umar Farooq, who founded the Neela Puligal Iyakkam, which works for Dalits.
Thirupananthal police registered a case following a complaint filed by former Thanjavur district secretary of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, Bala.
A report in New India Express says that Ranjith has been booked under IPC sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 153 (A) (1) (a) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony).
The filmmaker is said to have spoken about the struggles for land by Dalits and Farooq’s role and also the Chola emperor’s period.
In a video being circulated online Ranjith can be heard saying, “During his reign, land was taken away from Dalits by intrigue.”
Ranjith also said that the large-scale oppression of Dalits had started during the period and that the Devadasi system was prevalent during his reign.
Ranjith is known for directing Tamil hits like Madras, and Rajinikanth starrers Kabali and Kaala.
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