Prominent Groups Unite In Defence Of Tamil Literary Legend Seeni Naina Mohamed Amid Defamatory Accusation

Seeni Naina Mohamed is one of the most prolific and influential writers who has contributed immensely to not only Tamil literature within Malaysia but also throughout the world. He has an unrefutably historic legacy of devoting his life to his mother tongue and his people. This literary giant had relentlessly spent his lifetime advocating for the growth of the Tamil language, schools, and literature. His life’s work is an emblem of an anchored thread tying the diaspora to the Tamil motherland, constantly rooting himself in his Tamil identity.

Image Source Malaysian Dravidian Association

However, recently there was a shameful and disrespectful incident that occurred in the International Youth Rational Forum, which had been organised by the Periyarist group called Black Shirt Youth Movement. The forum itself had overcome numerous challenges and opposition from Hindu groups, yet it had triumphantly managed to proceed as planned. During the event, an attendee from the Hindu Dharma Maamandram declined to stand for the Malaysian Tamil Thai Vazhthu. His explanation for this disrespectful act was that the Tamil Thai Vazhthu was penned by Seeni Naina Mohamed, whom he accused of being a Muslim missionary. In retaliation for this heinous accusation and social conduct, several groups, including the Malaysian Tamil Writers Association and the Penang All-Indian Muslim Association (Gabungan Persatuan India Muslim Pulau Pinang), have officially lodged police reports against this individual for his derogatory and defamatory statements.

The chairman of the Tamil Writer Association, Nyana Simon, stated that the allegation that this individual places on Seeni Naina Mohamed is both a horrendous defiling of the literary legend’s name and his legacy of championing the Tamil language and literary movement. Nyana Simon further expressed the Tamil Writers Association stand that it was an utter offence to alienate Tamils who are from different faiths from the Tamil idenity and that Tamil belonged to all those who speak it as a mother tongue; it is not an identity that is rooted in religion.

Prabhu Krishnan was the first to lodge a police report at the Ipoh police station against these unfounded accusations; following that, the Malaysian Tamil Writers Association lodged a second report at the Sentul Police Station.

In 2016, it was the Malaysian Tamil Writers Association that requested Seeni Naina Mohamed to pen the lyrics for the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, with R. P. S. Raaju handling the musical composition. The vocals for the song were provided by Dhuruvan and Babu Loganathan. The seed for a Malaysian version of the Tamil Thai Vazhthu was actually given by Vairamuthu in 2007, during his visit to Malaysia for the book launch of “Karaiyai Theedum Azhagu”.

On January 10, 2024, the Penang All-Indian Muslim Association filed a police report at the Penang Patani Road Police Station against the individual who made accusations against Seeni Naina Mohamed. The association’s chairman, Dato’ Dr. Ameenul Husaini, condemned the defamatory statement that accused Seeni Naina Mohamed of being a Muslim missionary and criticised the targeting of the late writer based on his Muslim identity. He deemed such behaviour unacceptable and expressed the hope that the authorities would investigate the individual and take appropriate action. Dato’ Dr. Ameenul emphasised that acts such as this only aid in fueling religious animosity and uprooting of fraternity within the Tamil community.