Tamil Nadu Congress flays arrest of folk singer; to stage protest on November 2

Folk singer Kovan was arrested for alleged sedition and disturbing public peace

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President EVKS Elangovan today slammed the arrest of a folk singer campaigning for closure of state-run liquor outlets and said his will stage a demonstration here on November 2 in protest against the police action.

Terming the arrest of Kovan at Tiruchirappalli for alleged sedition yesterday as a "murder of freedom of expression", he said such an action amounted to 'authoritarian rule.'

"Protesting the police action, the party will stage a demonstration here outside the Head Post Office at Anna Salai on Monday," he said in a statement.

Kovan, a 54-year-old propagandist singer of ultra Left arts and literary outfit 'Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam', was arrested for alleged sedition, uploading defamatory electronic content against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and disturbing public peace.

Flaying the BJP government at the Centre, Elangovan said already "instances of intolerance" leading to killings of writers and scholars such as MM Kalburgi and Narendra Dabholkar had taken place, against which academicians, historians and artistes had shown their opposition by returning awards.