Women’s body seeks action over inclusion of rapper Vedan’s song in syllabi of Calicut, Kerala universities

A Kozhikode-based organisation has approached Kerala Governor and Chancellor of State universities Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar seeking “appropriate action” by the Vice-Chancellors (V-C) of the University of Calicut and the University of Kerala over the inclusion of a song by rapper Hirandas Murali, popularly known as Vedan, in their syllabi.

In a letter to Mr. Arlekar dated August 21, P.S.F. Husna, chairperson of Council for Women’s Rights and Safety, said there were concerns about the inclusion of the song Bhumi Njan Vazhunna Idam by Vedan in the B.A. Malayalam syllabus of the University of Calicut, in the context of the serious rape allegations currently pending against him.

According to sources, the Chancellor’s office has sought a response from the Calicut University V-C’s office, which has since forwarded it to the section concerned for preparing a reply.

Ms. Husna said in the letter that the organisation had submitted a representation to the Calicut University V-C on August 12 requesting the removal of Vedan’s song from the syllabus. However, it was later revealed that his songs had been included in the Malayalam syllabus of Kerala University as well.

‘Wider academic, social significance’

“This development obliges us to approach you directly, in your capacity as the Chancellor of both universities, as the matter has gained wider academic and social significance. We wish to emphasise that our committee does not question the literary or artistic merit of his work, nor do we claim that an artiste’s personal life automatically diminishes the value of their creations. We acknowledge that an artiste from a marginalised community, who challenges social and linguistic conventions, contributes to the legitimate cultural tradition. Nevertheless, Vedan is currently facing a rape accusation from a female student, and a formal police case is already been registered against him,” the letter said.

Ms. Husna said that requiring students, including women, to engage with his work in the classroom in such circumstances “sends a deeply troubling message, conflicts with contemporary academic values, and risks inflicting emotional distress.”

She claimed that the mental agony and sense of institutional oppression that female students might endure in such a learning environment was deeply concerning and contrary to the principles of gender justice that universities are duty-bound to uphold.

Ms. Husna told The Hindu that the organisation was prepared to approach the Kerala High Court if the final response from the Governor’s office was “unsatisfactory.”