Singer Bhuvana Seshan Shares MeToo Claims Against Lyricist Vairamuthu: Why No Action Taken Yet?

Following singer Chinmayi Sripaada’s repeated allegations of serious sexual harassment charges against lyricist-poet Vairamuthu, singer Bhuvana Seshan has now opened up about her #metoo experience.

The singer revealed the sexual harassment that she had endured in the wake of Vairamuthu being honoured by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, under the Dream House Scheme, which aims to honour our renowned writers.

Talking to the Asian News International (ANI) news agency, Bhuvana Seshan shared that almost 17 women have reportedly accused Vairamuthu of severe sexual harassment, and four of them have been courageous enough to reveal their identities. Given the scenario, she said that it was difficult to open up about sexual harassment. Further, she mentioned that the only reason she decided to open up about her story was because she didn’t want the dreams of young singers to be crushed. She hopes that what happened to her doesn’t happen to other girls.

Bhuvana Seshan Shares Metoo Claims

Bhuvana Seshan also praised singer Chinmayi Sripaada for being upfront about the sexual harassment she allegedly faced from Vairamuthu. Seshan stated that it was courageous of Chinmayi Sripaada to hold on to her stand and continuously fight for justice despite the abuse she is facing on social media for accusing Vairamuthu of sexual harassment. Seshan went on to share that this harassment cannot continue as many women are silently suffering because of it. She claimed that no investigation was happening and that the system wasn’t letting it happen.

Since the #metoo movement in 2018, singer Chinmayi Sripaada has been fighting almost single-handedly against the serious sexual harassment charges she had levied against poet-lyricist Vairamuthu. Amidst all the abuse that she is subjected to on social media on a regular basis, she has been standing rock solid on her ground. Earlier this month, she stated that many people were "responsible for safeguarding Vairamuthu."

She tweeted that the rules cannot be different for Wrestling Federation Chief Brij Bhushan, who has been accused of allegedly sexually harassing seven wrestlers. Seshan compared the alleged sexual harassment complaints against Vairamuthu with those against Brij Bhushan. She noted that over 17 women have named Vairamuthu as a sexual offender, but he has been using his political influence to silence her and other women and ruin the careers of many talented young women.

She further requested the authorities to do the needful and make workplaces across Tamil Nadu a safer space for women. She added that she speaks as someone who has been ostracised by her own industry because they are scared to go against Vairamuthu, who has strong political connections.

Why Has No Action Been Taken Yet?

The allegations have remained only as claims for the past five years, and no action has been taken against Vairamuthu. Despite a woman repeatedly making candid revelations about being harassed by Vairamuthu, why have the authorities not even initiated an investigation into the claims? Women simply won't go about making false allegations of sexual harassment because it subjects them to shame, judgement, criticism, abuse, and trolling from society. So, shouldn’t her claims at the very least be probed into?

What does it mean for the safety of women in our country if perpetrators can manage to evade the clutches of the law just because they have financial and political influence? What message is being sent to society when no action has been taken for over five years? We only talk about it when the news is hot for a week or so and then move on to the next story until the case manages to grab headlines again, like now.

How is this fair for women who have made claims of sexual harassment? Won’t the lack of action being taken discourage women from opening up about sexual crimes that happened to them in the future? Is that what society wants for women—to shut themselves indoors and give up on their dreams and passions because sexual predators are at bay?

Suggested Reading: Here’s Why Women Are Against ONV Award Jury’s Decision To Honour Lyricist Vairamuthu

Image Credits: ANI and India Today

Views expressed by the author are their own