Renowned music composer Ilayaraja is known to have written some of the most popular songs in Indian music, that is evident from his popularity across generations. The 78-year-old legend seems to have hit a bum note with the online backlash over the weekend for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comparing him to Dr BR Ambedkar.
In the foreword for Ambedkar & Modi — Reformer’s Ideas, Performer’s Implementations, published by Delhi-based Bluecraft Digital Foundation, Ilayaraja wrote,
‘Both these striking personalities succeeded against odds that people from socially disempowered sections of the society face. Both saw poverty and stifling social structures from close quarters and worked to dismantle them, but both are also practical men who believe in action rather than mere thought exercises.’
He added, ‘Pro-women legislation such as the banning of triple talaq and the rise in sex ratio due to the historic ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ movement, which has brought in social transformation, is something that Dr BR Ambedkar would have been proud of.’
Ilayaraja drew the ire of many who thought the BJP might be offering him a Rajya Sabha berth, on the back of his comments.
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