Right-Wing targets Telugu singer Mangli over song on village deity

Hyderabad: Telugu singer Mangli is being accused of offending Hindu religious sentiments by Hindutva activists. BJP has filed a complaint against her claiming the lyrics of her new song 'Bonalu' are derogatory and insulting to goddess Maisamma.

Due to the online outrage, Mangli had to change the lyrics and upload a new video of the song. She was also forced to disclose the details of her caste and display credentials of the same to prove that she is Hindu.

She wrote on Facebook that she does not come from a family of scholars (implying Brahmins). "I am a woman from a Girijana community who worships trees and mounds. She added that people in her community see village deities as members of the family and share their feeling whether it is happy or sad.

Mangli said that she regularly worships in the temple and shared photos of the Anjaneya temple she helped construct.

The lyrics in question are 'Chettuchuttumemuthiruguthunte... Chethuletthimokkuthunte… MokkinavaramiyyakundaMothavaarilaagakoosunavamma' (While we make rounds around your deity, and pray with our hands raised, you have been sitting [idle] like a village elder without answering our prayers).

The BJP has raised objection to the word 'Mothavaari' which roughly translates to 'village elder', reported The News Minute. Iranmai alias RJ Kiran, a self-proclaimed Hindutva activist has started a social media campaign against singer Mangli.

Maisamma is a village deity who does not come under the Brahmanical fold. Mangli belongs to the Lambada community, categorised as Scheduled Tribes. Dalit and Bahujan intellectuals came out in support of Mangli with #ISupportMangli hashtags and said that accusations against her stem from Casteism.

SangishettySrinivas, a Bahujan intellectual said that the campaign reflects Manuvaadimindset which keeps stifling any growing voice in the Bahujan community. "For them, any good or bad should only come from their upper-caste community. That's their unwritten rule."

He asked who Kiranmai is to say how a song should be sung or how Mangli should dance. He pointed out that there are songs that have called Lord Shiva a thief in the context of love. But it never became controversial.

He alleged that the Hindubadis with Brahmanical thinking are unable to "digest how Dalits and Bahujans are taking over space which was previously restricted only to certain communities," reported TNM.

Srinivas clarified that Mangli has taken the lyrics of the songs from a folk song written by a Dalit artist three decades ago. He also noted that the campaign is rooted in Islamophobia because the producer of the song is a Muslim man.

Several Dalits have pointed out that Maisamma is a village deity and not a Brahminical goddess. Many reflected the sentiment that they will address their goddess in a language that belongs to them.