Nearly a week after singer Chinmayi and multiple other women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Vairamuthu as part of the MeToo movement, the Tamil lyricist has responded stating that they are false.
In a video release to the media on Sunday, the lyricist said, “The allegations being made against me are absolutely false. They are filled with ulterior motives.”
Vairamuthu also stated that if the allegation were true, those involved could initiate legal proceedings against him.
“I am waiting to face it. I have been in deep discussion with senior lawyers and intellectuals over the past week. I have gathered unshakeable evidence. You can file a case,” he said.
He also added, “No one should decide whether I am a good or bad man now. Let the court say that. I bow to justice.”
On October 8, journalist Sandhya Menon shared screenshots of an anonymous allegation about how Vairamuthu had allegedly assaulted a woman, who was 18 years of age when she had gone to the poet’s residence-cum-office to work on a project.
A day later, singer Chinmayi came forward with her own experience. She detailed how she had allegedly been asked by the organiser of a programme in Switzerland to "cooperate" with Vairamuthu. She was reportedly asked to visit him in a hotel in Lucerne. When she refused and demanded that they (Chinmayi and her mother) return to India, she was supposedly told that her career was over. Chinmayi says that the incident took place in 2005 or 2006.
US-based artist Sindhuja Rajaram, has also come forward with her account of sexual misconduct against the lyricist as have multiple other women who have chosen to remain anonymous.
This is the first time that the lyricist has directly addressed allegations against him.
Earlier this week, in a cryptic tweet on Wednesday, the lyricist had said, “The uncivilised act of spreading rumours about well-known people is becoming ‘civilised’ across the country. In recent times, I am being humiliated continuously; this too is one of those instances. I am indifferent to anything other than the truth; time will tell the truth.”
Shortly after his video response to the allegations, singer Chinmayi took to Twitter to respond. "Mr. Vairamuthu should take a lie detector test. Enough said," she wrote.
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