'My song is anti-liquor, not anti-national'

'The song says that liquor should not be sold by the government. The government should stop people from drinking.'

'I am working for a social cause. I am not doing anything wrong.'

Singer Kovan, who was arrested charged with sedition for singing a song against the Tamil Nadu government's liquor policy, speaks out.

Kovan is a folk singer from Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu. He was arrested on October 30 and charged with sedition. He was arrested for singing a song protesting against the state government's liquor policy, which was uploaded on the Internet.

Kovan obtained bail from the Madras high court on November 7, but the Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court asking for his police custody.

Kovan spoke to Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com about his ordeal.

How long have you been a folk singer?

I have been a singer for 25 years. I am not actually a folk singer. I am a propaganda singer for my social welfare group. I sing to propagate our ideas for a social cause. The causes are for the good of the people.

How do you support yourself financially?

My social group supports me and my family. It helped me educate my son, who is now a lawyer. He studied in a government college and so we did not spend much money.

Tell us about the Makkal Kalai Ilakiya Kazhagam (the group for which Kovan works).

It works for social causes through art. It has been around for 30 years. I have been with this group for the past 25 years.

What are the other causes you have been involved in?

Earlier, I have been part of the opposition to the Coca-Cola plant in Tamil Nadu. We have worked against caste discrimination. We have supported a clean environment. We have raised our voice against corrupt politicians.

We have objected to sand mining. We have joined other groups in their fight for people's rights.

Tell us about the song you were arrested for.

The song says that liquor should not be sold by the government. The government should stop people from drinking.

Why is 'sedition' mentioned in the case against you?

We sang a song against drinking and the causes of drinking. Poor people lose all their money on drinking. The song is anti-liquor. It is not anti-national.

Have you been accused of having links with Naxalites?

People are agitating against the government liquor policy. We have joined that agitation. It is a people's movement. There is no Naxalite involvement.

Have you been arrested in the past for singing songs?

This is the first time I have been arrested for singing a song. I have been arrested as a part of an agitating group more than 15 years ago. I have never been arrested individually.

What are you going to do next?

I am working for a social cause. I am not doing anything wrong. We have moved a petition in the high court to quash the FIR (First Information Report) against me. The next hearing is on December 1.

Tell us about your arrest.

I was arrested in the middle of the night. My family was very upset. It was only a song. They did not have to arrest me in the night.

They are asking for police custody even though I have agreed to cooperate with the investigation. The idea is to trouble me.