Tamil singer Kovan detained for protesting in support of JNU students

Tamil folk singer Kovan has been detained in Chennai while protesting in support of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students. Kovan hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) accusing them of suppressing voices of dissent.

Kovan was detained along with 20 other protesters in Chennai. In the past, Kovan was also charged with sedition over his song which criticised the Jayalalithaa government's liquor policy.

54-year-old Kovan, propagandist singer of ultra-Left arts and literary outfit 'Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam', was charged for alleged sedition, uploading "defamatory" electronic content against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and "disturbing" public peace.

The content, though centred over the liquor vending policy of Tamil Nadu government, allegedly had direct references to Jayalalithaa in a bad light.