Vedan's words have the speed and sharpness of a harpoon that pierces the heart. His arrest and the Forest department's repeated assertion about his Sri Lankan roots have opened up a debate of refugees in India.
Published May 01, 2025 | 6:00 PM ⚊ Updated May 01, 2025 | 6:00 PM
The Kerala Forest Department's reiteration that Vedan's mother was from Sri Lanka raised questions about the department's intention.
Synopsis: The Kerala Forest Department kept reiterating rapper Vedan’s Sri Lankan roots, which sparked a discussion on the state of refugees in India — apparently, it is what Vedan wanted.
Kochi witnessed two rallies on 23 December 2019, protesting against the Centre’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The one that started from the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium ended in front of the Cochin Shipyard Ltd at Ravipuram, the southern end of the MG Road, Kochi’s main artery. The second one from Gandhi Square near Rajendra Maidan exchanged salutes with the first at the Shipyard, and went farther to Vasco Square in Fort Kochi.
A cultural evening at Fort Kochi marked the culmination of the rally from Gandhi Square. Popular band Oorali, which performed that evening, introduced a singer to the audience who erupted in joy as the man sang his politics in poetic words that singed the listeners’ collective conscience.
“I am no Panan, no Parayan, nor Pulayan,
And you are not the master of this land.
And even if you are, I couldn’t give a damn,” the then-24-year-old singer, who introduced himself to Kochi as Vedan, rapped.
The profanity he used in Malayalam for “couldn’t give a damn“, left the crowd in goosebumps. They screamed in acceptance.
The song, which many later realised was the “Voice of the Voiceless“, announced the arrival of Vedan. However, on Tuesday, 29 April, and Wednesday, the Kerala Forest Department, apparently, decided it was not enough introduction to lyricist and singer Hirandas Murali, popularly known as Vedan.
Kerala noted with disbelief as a Forest Department official on Tuesday and again on Wednesday repeated before the media that Hirandas Murali aka Vedan’s roots were in Sri Lanka. Someone, somewhere, wanted to highlight the singer’s origin.
The state had not till then differentiated music and ideas based on nationalities. Many raised their voice for Vedan. Their message was simple: We don’t give a damn!
The police had arrested Vedan and eight others from a flat near Tripunithura with around 6 grams of ganja on Monday, 28 April. Though he was granted station bail, the police handed him over to the Forest Department since he was found wearing a suspected leopard tooth pendant.
The Forest Department booked him under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and placed the singer in remand. And Kerala — barring a few — rallied behind Vedan, a move vindicated by a court that granted him bail on Wednesday, 30 April.
In between, the Forest Department repeatedly drove home the point, his Sri Lankan roots. However, Kerala did not give a damn, for the rapper himself had sung about his origin.
“I was born to a woman from Jaffna,
Shaped by relentless questions and
A lifetime of struggle in a land
Where modern-day slavery still thrives.”
These lyrics from Vedan’s ‘Social Criminal’ were his lived reality.
Hirandas Murali aka Vedan.
Today, those words are more than art, they reflect the battles he has fought, and a system now trying to silence him.
In a state where a war on drugs is at its peak, with celebrities being taken into custody — and immediately published in the media with photographs — Vedan’s arrest stood out for the resistance it provoked.
Across Kerala, a powerful section of people, from artists to activists, from ordinary citizens to public intellectuals, and even schoolchildren, rose in defence of the right to resist, to speak, to survive.
This is not just the story of a rap artist and a desperate attempt to justify illegal actions based solely on his Dalit identity. This is the story of the son of a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, and his never-ending struggle as the Forest Department proved it.
It’s about what it means to be Dalit, to be displaced, to be political, and to be punished for it. In a state where subaltern communities are more often targeted than those privileged, this is a truth that demands attention.
Hirandas Murali was born in Thrissur to a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee mother from Jaffna. He grew up in Swapnabhoomi (land of dreams), a colony near the railway station.
Vedan at a concert in 2024. (Akshaysekhar/Creative Commons)
Being the child of a refugee in a land where such identities are often equated with suspicion or stigma, Marginalisation shaped his life.
His name, too, carries that weight. “Vedan,” once a slur used to mock his Dalit roots, was a name he reclaimed and embraced. Historically used for forest-dwelling hunter communities, it now speaks of those who were hunters but hunted by society.
For him, Vedan is more than a rap name. It is a declaration of his identity and survival.
According to his close friend, ‘‘Vedan’s life was beyond imaginable. His father fell in love with his mother, a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, who had come to India seeking shelter. Despite strong opposition from family and society, his father married her, dreaming of a family and caring for a woman in need.
However, destiny had other plans. Vedan was born, but his mother, due to her nomadic nature, couldn’t settle within the frame of a family. She would leave for months, a pattern that continued until her death. Vedan grew up in a colony called Swapnabhoomi. After finishing school, he worked in the construction sector.
His passion for art and rhythm led him to editor-director B Ajith Kumar in Thiruvananthapuram, where he worked as a studio boy. Over time, rap attracted him, influenced by rappers like Tupac Shakur, Eminem, and Arivu. His life experiences fuelled his search for the history of refugees and the people affected by wars.
Although his family or his mother’s refugee identity wasn’t directly linked to any of the cases, authorities still treated him with suspicion.” he told South First.
In the ongoing leopard canine tooth pendant case, the Forest Department’s handling of Vedan’s arrest has sparked controversy. After taking Vedan into custody, forest officials addressed the media, during which Vedan’s mother’s identity as a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee was brought into the spotlight. This “revelation” led to backlash against the authorities.
Kodanad Forest Range Officer Atheesh Ravindran stated that Ranjith Kummbidi, a Tamil Nadu native, who allegedly gifted the leopard canine tooth to Vedan, had visited Sri Lanka before migrating to either the UK or France. The two had communicated via Instagram and other social media platforms.
Ravindran also pointed out that Vedan’s mother is originally from Sri Lanka, suggesting that her connections to the country could be relevant to the investigation.
“Although Vedan is not a Sri Lankan citizen, his mother’s connections to Sri Lanka need to be thoroughly examined,” the official stressed. “The common thread linking Vedan and Ranjith is their Sri Lankan ties, and this must be traced through a detailed investigation,” he told South First.
Vedan was granted bail by the Perumbavoor First Class Judicial Magistrate Court in connection with the case. Following this, Forest Minister AK Saseendran openly criticised the actions of his officials.
He expressed concerns over the mishandling of the case, noting that it had been unnecessarily sensationalised. The minister praised Vedan for his artistic talent and political awareness, calling the arrest “unfortunate.”
He added that the Kodanad Forest Range Officer would be asked to explain the exaggerated response to the incident.
The Indian government treats Sri Lankan Tamil refugees as illegal migrants and has not provided them with Indian citizenship, even though many have lived in the country for several decades. While they receive various forms of relief and rehabilitation support, the government’s long-term objective is their eventual return to Sri Lanka.
As per official data available as of 1 January 2022, a total of 58,648 Sri Lankan refugees were residing in 108 refugee camps across Tamil Nadu, with an additional 54 in Odisha. Furthermore, approximately 34,135 refugees were living outside these camps but were registered with state authorities in Tamil Nadu.
When South First contacted Govind (name changed), a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee who has lived in Chennai for decades and is familiar in media circles, he expressed deep concern over the treatment of his community in the wake of Vedan’s case.
”The Vedan incident and the way officials rush to link anything ‘illegal’ with Sri Lankan Tamil refugees must be addressed,” Govind said.
”As the son of refugees and someone who still holds that refugee identity, I’ve experienced deep-rooted discrimination. Even in school, teachers singled me out. The term, agathi (refugee), came with trauma,” he recalled.
He said there were accusations decades ago that Sri Lankan Tamils facilitated drug trafficking from the island nation to Tamil Nadu.
“This narrative isn’t new. Some who came in kalla thonis (illegal boats) may have been involved, but blaming the entire refugee population is unjust,” he opined.
“We live under intense surveillance. Regular police checks in refugee camps are routine. During visits of Union ministers, foreign dignitaries, or other state leaders, we are asked to remain indoors,” he added.
Govind said Tamil Nadu had once embraced them. “But after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, perceptions shifted. Suddenly, all Sri Lankan Tamil refugees were seen as LTTE sympathizers. This is unfair. We came to India fleeing genocide—not to be treated like terrorists,” he further stated.
Vedan’s case is not just about one individual. It reflects the collective pain of an entire refugee community. This repeated dragging of our identity is harmful. Authorities need to paint a person of Sri Lankan origin with suspicion.
“People don’t even know why we migrated or what we fled from. We’re here trying to live peacefully and build a future. We and our children don’t deserve to live under society’s constant suspicion.” Govind said.
Mridula Devi S, activist and editor of Patabhedam magazine, told South First that while she supported legal accountability, she strongly opposed the targeted character assassination of Vedan based on his background.
”If Vedan is guilty, whether in narcotics or an old #MeToo case, he must be held accountable. But what’s disturbing is the deliberate dragging of his deceased mother into public discourse. Why? Simply because she was a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee? That reveals our casteist approach to refugee identities,” she said.
“The Dalai Lama is also a refugee, but he carries an upper-caste, Brahminical identity. He is revered and respected. But how are Sri Lankan Tamil refugees treated? With suspicion, contempt. We don’t treat refugee communities equally, and that’s the harsh reality,” she said.
”We live in a system that teaches society to equate every refugee with a terrorist,” she told.
“The tigers in Sri Lanka are wandering in thirst
Congo, your mines are brutally murdering thousands of little lives
Somalian children are scrambling in search of a drop of water
Buddha in Myanmar is armed with weapons, thirsty for blood
”China, your red flag smells of burnt Quran
With every tear that Malak shed,
Mother Earth wept.
Bollack, your unsung song is what my ear is searching for—six feet underground.
While Asifa was slaughtered, the Gods guarded the murderers
Aylan, your baby limbs measured the depth of the sea of tears.
The earth, where I bide— every day is becoming hell.”
(Bhoomi Njan Vazhunidam).
Joseph V Jolly, a fan of Vedan, shared his thoughts on the rapper’s powerful track “Bhoomi Njan Vazhunidam,” which exclusively focuses on refugees and individuals affected by war.
“I believe his words challenged the system, not just the charges. I’m glad to see people supporting him. He is an essential voice; he is the one addressing global issues and conveying them to our generation in a country that often attempts to erase and manipulate history,” he told South First.
After being granted bail in the leopard tooth case, Vedan thanked his supporters and owned up to his mistakes.
”I can’t comment about the case, but I regret smoking and drinking. They were wrong. I seek forgiveness and want to become a better person,” he told the media.
Dr Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, former Metropolitan of the Niranam Diocese, has voiced support for rapper Vedan. In a Facebook post, he expressed his wish to hug Vedan, and help him take the right path.
Activist and lawyer Harish Vasudevan suggested Vedan’s arrest was driven by discomfort with his politically conscious art, alleging upper-caste bias and media sensationalism. He contrasted this with the inaction over actor Mohanlal’s alleged possession of ivory tusks.
A Congress leader’s complaint against Mohanlal for a similar leopard tooth pendant has yet to prompt action from the Forest Department.
Muhammed Anvar Yunus, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Biodiversity Cell), told South First that the Forest Department treated the case involving actor Mohanlal’s ivory tusks with due seriousness.
“The flying squad visited his residence multiple times, but initially found it closed. Later, inspections were conducted, and a report was submitted,” he said.
“We now need to verify whether Mohanlal possesses valid documentation.” He added that prior to 1980, elephant owners had the legal right to keep ivory tusks. “But now, regardless of whether the ivory comes from a domesticated or wild elephant, the Forest Department does not permit possession. The regulations have become very strict.”
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
