Vinayakan’s controversial statements draw sharp criticism from singer G Venugopal, Congress leader Muhammed Shiyas

Actor Vinayakan’s expletive-ridden statements against acclaimed director Adoor Gopalakrishnan and singer Yesudas have drawn sharp criticism from a section of people. Singer G Venugopal was among the few celebrities who indirectly condemned Vinayakan’s statement against Yesudas, in a strong-worded post on social media.

The singer spoke out against the growing trend of pulling down icons on social media and criticising them in the name of political correctness. Recently, Vinayakan had posted a foul-mouthed tirade against Adoor Gopalakrishnan for his anti-caste remarks during the cinema conclave held in Thiruvananthapuram recently. Yesudas, who had earlier made remarks about women wearing jeans, was also dragged into the controversy by Vinayakan. Though Adoor’s statement against the SC/ST community and women had drawn criticism from several people, Vinayakan’s derogatory post against veterans like Adoor and Yesudas, did not go down well with the Malayali community.

Singer Venugopal spoke in length about Yesudas’s contribution to the music world and also praised him for breaking barriers of caste and religion to become an acclaimed singer in the world of carnatic music. Meanwhile, terming actor Vinayakan a public nuisance, the Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Muhammad Shiyas also urged the government to take strict action by restraining him and ensuring he receives proper treatment. Addressing the media in Kochi, Shiyas described Vinayakan as an artist who fails to meet the cultural standards of Kerala.

“Vinayakan is making such statements under intoxication. He had previously caused similar disturbances in the apartment where he was staying. We have all seen a video circulating on social media in which he was stripping himself and hurling expletives. Vinayakan is a public nuisance. In a culturally progressive state like Kerala, no one should be allowed to become such a source of trouble. The government should either ensure treatment for this public nuisance or initiate strong legal action. His family is apparently not taking care of him. Whatever treatment is necessary for someone showing such mental health issues must be provided. If this behaviour continues repeatedly and becomes a burden on the public, it could lead to a situation where people start confronting him directly on the street, which may escalate into a bigger problem. If the government is unwilling to act, then his relatives should take the initiative to treat him. The foremost priority in this situation is treatment,” said Shiyas.

“Vinayakan is an artist, and that is the respect and decency we have always accorded him. But this disgraceful behaviour insults all artists. He abuses everyone regardless of politics. He has made offensive remarks about Oommen Chandy, Achuthanandan, and Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He is an artist who does not live up to the cultural standards of this land,” Shiyas added.

When rapper Vedan was involved in a narcotics case, he admitted his mistake and apologised. Many people are willing to acknowledge their errors. Even in the film industry, individuals are coming forward to admit their faults. However, serious allegations are also being raised in this field. Noting that the government and society offer a certain level of protection to those working in the film industry, Muhammad Shiyas criticised this convention as wrong.

Recently, Vinayakan criticised filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan for remarks made at a film conclave organized by the State government. He also dragged singer Yesudas into controversy through an expletive-laden social media post. The actor’s posts following the deaths of veteran communist leader V S Achuthanandan and Congress leader Oommen Chandy too had attracted widespread criticism. Meanwhile, Vinayakan once again took to social media on Friday with an abusive post targeting a woman journalist.