<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala forest department's arrest of Malayalam rapper Hirandas Murali, popularly known as 'Vedan', for allegedly possessing a leopard tooth, has brought to focus an elephant tusk case faced by actor Mohanlal as well as a locket resembling leopard tooth worn by Suresh Gopi. Actor-turned-politician Gopi is minister of state for petroleum and tourism.</p><p>The action against Vedan had also triggered debates on whether it was an act of caste-based discrimination in the state.</p>.'Dishonourable act': Supreme Court upholds life sentence conviction in 'honour' killing of Dalit boy-Vanniyar girl.<p>A picture of Suresh Gopi wearing a pendant resembling leopard tooth went viral on social media after the forest department took action against Vedan.</p><p>Subsequently, a Congress activist had sent a petition to the state police chief seeking action against the Union minister too.</p><p>Social media is flooded with allegations of double standards by citing the ivory case against famed actor Mohanlal. Even as Mohanlal was found to be possessing ivory, the forest department did not take any action, many netizens said.</p><p>Ivory were recovered from the actor's house in Kochi during an income tax raid in 2011. The forest department had initiated proceedings against him after several months for illegally possessing the elephant tusks. The case is still running in the court.</p>.UP has become no. 1 in atrocities against Dalits under BJP government: Akhilesh Yadav.<p>Meanwhile, many prominent personalities and Dalit activists have strongly flayed the actions against the rapper. Vedan, whose mother is a Sri Lankan, hailed from a Dalit background and his songs often gave strong messages against caste-based discrimination.</p><p>Former Metropolitan of the Niranam Diocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church Geevarghese Coorilos said in a social media post that he was backing "Vedan's politics of the black and wished him to continue the fight against the white gods."</p><p>Many Dalit activists also alleged that Vedan was being deliberately targeted.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala forest department's arrest of Malayalam rapper Hirandas Murali, popularly known as 'Vedan', for allegedly possessing a leopard tooth, has brought to focus an elephant tusk case faced by actor Mohanlal as well as a locket resembling leopard tooth worn by Suresh Gopi. Actor-turned-politician Gopi is minister of state for petroleum and tourism.</p><p>The action against Vedan had also triggered debates on whether it was an act of caste-based discrimination in the state.</p>.'Dishonourable act': Supreme Court upholds life sentence conviction in 'honour' killing of Dalit boy-Vanniyar girl.<p>A picture of Suresh Gopi wearing a pendant resembling leopard tooth went viral on social media after the forest department took action against Vedan.</p><p>Subsequently, a Congress activist had sent a petition to the state police chief seeking action against the Union minister too.</p><p>Social media is flooded with allegations of double standards by citing the ivory case against famed actor Mohanlal. Even as Mohanlal was found to be possessing ivory, the forest department did not take any action, many netizens said.</p><p>Ivory were recovered from the actor's house in Kochi during an income tax raid in 2011. The forest department had initiated proceedings against him after several months for illegally possessing the elephant tusks. The case is still running in the court.</p>.UP has become no. 1 in atrocities against Dalits under BJP government: Akhilesh Yadav.<p>Meanwhile, many prominent personalities and Dalit activists have strongly flayed the actions against the rapper. Vedan, whose mother is a Sri Lankan, hailed from a Dalit background and his songs often gave strong messages against caste-based discrimination.</p><p>Former Metropolitan of the Niranam Diocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church Geevarghese Coorilos said in a social media post that he was backing "Vedan's politics of the black and wished him to continue the fight against the white gods."</p><p>Many Dalit activists also alleged that Vedan was being deliberately targeted.</p>