The Dravidianist propaganda machinery in Tamil Nadu hit a new low as Kollywood director Raju Murugan, known for his waning relevance and ideological failures, used the platform of the “Break the Bloody Silence” event to launch an unwarranted tirade against Brahmins.
He made sweeping and scandalous allegations that were irrelevant to the event he was participating in and not based on any factual truth.
At the launch of the song “Break the Bloody Silence”, an event intended to condemn ongoing global conflicts like war, Raju Murugan took the opportunity to voice unfounded accusations against the Brahmins. His remarks, filled with hatred, went beyond the purpose and aimed at advancing a divisive narrative.
He began by linking international conflicts rooted in land, ethnicity, and geopolitical tensions to India’s domestic issues, stating, “Comrades, if you see why we designed this evening’s event as a stance against war, an international war is not just about Palestine or Ukraine it is a struggle against capitalism, autocracy, and imperialism which are deeply connected to the violence in Manipur, Gujarat, and even honour killings in Tamil Nadu. We are not merely speaking for a child who has died in Palestine; we are speaking for ourselves, and that’s why everyone must speak. This makes it vital.”
Then, advancing a narrative targeting the Brahmin community, he said, “Comrades, if you see the upper castes, they often repeat one thing. In Tamil Nadu and India, Brahmin supporters keep saying, ‘Have you ever seen a Paapaan (derogatory word for Brahmin male) on the street wielding a knife to stab someone? Have you seen one? Are they inciting riots? Are they taking up weapons? Have you ever seen this?’ For over fifty years, this question has been repeated endlessly. And I see this as a very important question because when it reaches ordinary people, he believes, ‘Yes, that’s true. I’ve never seen an upper caste in street wielding a knife and stab someone.’ While that might be factual, but the critical point is for the person who holds the knife on the street, the very knife was provided by him (Brahmin). The weapon is here (brain) which is a significant poisonous tool. So here we should see for the past thousand years who is giving that weapon.”
What followed from Director Raju Murugan was highly controversial. He shifted focus to a documentary on the Gujarat riots and the Godhra train burning incident, naming communist activist Teesta Setalvad as part of the research. Murugan claimed that many of those involved in the violence were Dalits and tribal people. He went on to assert that both the victims and the perpetrators were Dalits and tribals. Then he blamed the Brahmin community for allegedly brainwashing Dalits and inciting them to commit acts of violence.
Director Raju Murugan’s film career, particularly after his early successes with ‘Cuckoo’ and ‘Joker’, has largely been marked by a series of failures, primarily driven by his attempt to push communist and Dravidianist ideologies in his films. His 2020 film ‘Gypsy’ serves as a prime example of this trend. The film tells the story of a wandering communist musician who elopes with an orthodox Muslim girl in the name of love, ultimately marrying her. The narrative is illogical, with the couple ending up in Delhi, and throughout the film, there are references to promoting communist ideals. The storyline culminates in riots that closely resemble the 2020 Delhi riots. Additionally, the film’s song “Ullam Uruguthayaa”, sung by Susheela Raman, faced severe criticism for its woke pop song aimed to deride Hindu gods and hymns. Now, his latest attempt to gain attention by targeting the Brahmin community only further highlights his ongoing search for relevance and opportunities.
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