Palakkad: A BJP leader from Palakkad has filed a formal complaint against popular rapper and songwriter Hirandas Murali, popularly known as Vedan, accusing him of defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promoting caste-based division through his music.

V S Minimol, a Municipal Councillor and Chairperson of the Development Committee at the Palakkad Municipality, has written to the Union Home Ministry and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), urging them to take action against the rapper.

According to a PTI report, she alleged that one of Vedan's songs contains defamatory remarks about the Prime Minister and inflammatory language aimed at "dividing the Hindu community along caste lines".

"The artist has made unsubstantiated, disrespectful, and offensive remarks about the Prime Minister, which not only malign his personal and political image but also undermine the dignity of the highest constitutional office in the country," Minimol said in the complaint, filed two days ago.

According to her, the song includes a direct mention of "Modi" during a live public performance, which she believes disrespects the office of the Prime Minister and spreads hatred among the public.

The complaint also highlighted Vedan's past legal issues, including his arrest on April 28 in connection with a drug case in Thrippunithura, near Kochi. It further alleged that, despite being out on bail, the rapper continues to hold large-scale concerts with massive audiences, during which he incites violence and hatred.

Minimol has requested that authorities investigate the matter under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including defamation, promoting enmity between groups, and causing public mischief. She also called for applying relevant provisions under the Information Technology Act, PTI reported.

No official response from Vedan or his representatives has been reported so far.

The BJP leader's complaint comes close on the heels of ongoing criticism against Vedan from Sangh Parivar leaders.

During an event in Palakkad on Wednesday, Hindu Aikyavedi leader K P Sasikala said that society was being humiliated by Vedan's improperly dressed antics and that it was time to put a stop to them.

She also questioned the relevance of rap music to the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) community.

In response, Vedan said that Sasikala's allegedly casteist remarks were part of a broader attempt to portray him as an extremist, a separatist, or a troublemaker. He further claimed that Sasikala's comments suggesting that rap music has no connection to the SC/ST community reflected an attitude among people like her who do not want members of such communities to pursue anything different.

"I don't have the voice to sing classical songs. If I did, I would. I can only sing rap," he told reporters in Kochi on Thursday.