News Tamil Nadu

BJP’s Annamalai, ADMK’s Kovai Sathyan Support Ranjani-Gayatri For Their Stance Against Music Academy Awarding TM Krishna Who Glorified Anti-Hindu EVR

March 22, 2024
The Commune

The past couple of days have been quite stormy for the world of Carnatic music, artistes, and rasikas alike. Following the decision of Madras Music Academy to confer the Sangita Kalanidhi award to left-leaning, EVR venerating vocalist TM Krishna, vocalist duo Ranjani-Gayatri sent in their disapproval by withdrawing from the Conference that will be overseen by Krishna later this year. 

Several other distinguished musicians and artistes also joined the vocalist duo in their boycott. These include Vedic scholar Dushyanth Sridhar, Harikatha exponent Smt Vishakha Hari, vocalists Trichur Brothers, Chitraveena Ravikiran decided to return his 2017 Sangita Kalanidhi. Other prominent artists who took a similar stand include Palghat Mani Iyer’s family returning the award. 

Subsequent to this, the Music Academy President N Murali wrote an intimidating letter to the sisters stating that the letter was “replete with unwarranted and slanderous assertions and insinuations verging on defamation, and its vicious tone against a respected senior fellow-musician.” 

With the world of Carnatic music in an uproar, people from the political domain offered their support to the musicians boycotting the Conference. Among them were Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party President K Annamalai and ADMK’s Kovai Sathyan.

Annamalai, in a post on his official X handle, wrote  “The Music Academy, revered as the Temple of Carnatic Music and spiritual consciousness for more than nine decades, is under the threat of disintegration by divisive forces detrimental to the sanctity of the organisation. @BJP4TamilNadu stands in solidarity with all the eminent artists of the Music Academy who have collectively raised their voices against the inimical approach of the present authority of the academy. 

We stand with eminent musicians @ranjanigayatri avl, @TrichurBrothers avl, Thiru @ravikiranmusic avl, Harikatha exponents Thiru @dushyanthsridar avl, Smt Vishaka Hari avl, and many others who strive to maintain the sanctity of the pristine institution. The last refuge for proponents of Defunct propaganda & ideology of hate & division cannot be the Temple of Carnatic Music!”

Trichur Brothers thanked Annamalai for voicing out support.

ADMK spokie Kovai Sathyan, in conversation with Times Now, stated that, “Invoking Periyar, singer Krishna has clearly misconstrued and misunderstood certain ideological beliefs of EVR Periyar. There is a professional sanctity one has to adhere to despite whatever profession they are in. Mr. Krishna’s comments on certain things have definitely brought some disgrace, not only to his profession but also to the people who are associated with that profession. The sentiments, echoed by many, turning down their awards, definitely has merit, and damage is already been done by Mr Krishna.”

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