Within hours of the announcement that the AIADMK general secretary, VK Sasikala, had been elected as the party's head of the legislature and would be Tamil Nadu's next chief minister, many dissenting voices took to social media expressing their dismay at and opposition to the development.
#TNSaysNo2Sasi began trending on Twitter. The dissenters are angry and raising their voices against Sasikala because, for all practical purposes, she is a political novice who has never contested an election.
Among the dissenters is rapper-activist Sofia Ashraf, known for her raps on environmental and women's issues. Ashraf boldly took to the streets, going to Poes Garden late on Sunday night. There, she and her 'crew' rapped, expressing their opposition to Sasikala's elevation.
Ashraf has put up a live video of the event on Facebook. "Democracy as we know is dead," Ashraf told The News Minutein an interview. "How can someone not elected by people become Chief Minister? It may be all legal, but it isn't right,"
Here are the lyrics to Ashraf's rap:
"You come and go by my streets
Spreading riots
Your Manifesto is half baked
What are you gonna offer now?
Ministers who have been elected
Without elections are not welcome.
As you let things be, it'll grow...
As it proceeds, you'll understand...
It will spark and obliterate ...
We will put an end to this.
Democracy is dead."
Towards the end, a policeman steps in to stop them from doing a live video. "How can you dress like this and walk out at this time," Ashraf is asked. She responds by saying that she is not doing anything illegal.
Watch the video here:
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