The rabid hatemonger S Sivadas, also known as Kovan, has once again surfaced on the Dravidian political stage. Known for using folk music to promote divisive rhetoric, Kovan has previously made derogatory and caste-based remarks, particularly during the AIADMK regime, targeting late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, her successor Edappadi K. Palaniswami, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Backed by the communist-aligned group Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam, Kovan’s recent focus has shifted to actor-turned-politician Vijay, launching personal attacks against him and his family. Notably, Kovan, once vocal in criticizing AIADMK’s governance, has remained conspicuously silent since the DMK came to power.
At the recent Dravidian Movement Centenary Conference organized by Dravida Iyakka Tamilar Peravai, Kovan launched a scathing, personal critique of Vijay. Rather than engaging in ideological discourse, Kovan’s speech took a hostile tone, filled with character attacks.
Taking a dig at TVK chief Vijay, Kovan said, “A boy came up to me yesterday and asked, ‘You say you wouldn’t allow Amit Shah or any other Shah here—so if I come with Trisha, what will you do?’ Yes, he actually asked that. And that’s the reality, isn’t it? There’s no real policy. He brings Trisha, accepting the ideas of Periyar and puts up hoardings Ambedkar, and claims to be a Periyarist and Ambedkarite, while actually working for the Sanghi’s. His role is to insult and damage the Dravidian model governance. That’s why, when he launched his party, he openly said that the Dravidian model is his enemy. Even now, he says women are not safe in Tamil Nadu. You do not know any data. The only numbers he has are those given by his party members from selling fake tickets. He has no personal knowledge. And yet, he claims about women’s safety in Tamil Nadu. Do you know that?”
Kovan the continued with a familiar Dravidianist narrative comparing Tamil Nadu to more populous state Uttar Pradesh and said, “Do you know that in Uttar Pradesh, from 2021 to 2022, there were nearly 65,000 cases of rape and sexual harassment. Yet he hasn’t said a word about that. In Tamil Nadu, it’s around 6,000 which is minimal. But without knowing the data, he still claims women aren’t safe here.”
Kovan then veered into a personal attack on Vijay and his family, even dragging in an actress, saying, “Brother, let me tell you something. Your own wife didn’t feel safe in your house that’s why she left and ran away from you. First, understand that. You should not speak about women’s safety. You went to Goa on a private jet for your female friend’s wedding. Yes, it’s a personal matter, but I have to say it because he made accusations yesterday. You went to your female friend’s wedding in Goa on a private plane, and there was another woman on that flight. Do you know who she was? It was her would be, I won’t name her. More importantly, one of the men you brought along is a Sanghi. Brother, we know you are a sanghi but you failed to hide your bangs.”
Earlier, DMK Minister MRK Panneerselvam sparked controversy by taking a veiled swipe at part-time-politician Vijay. When he asked them to interpret the initials ‘TVK’, audience members shouted out the names of actresses Trisha and Keerthy Suresh.
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