Kolatam performer’s ‘whistle’ removed during voter awareness event in Coimbatore

A brief interruption occurred during a voter awareness event in Coimbatore on Wednesday after a government official, on the advise of election officials, walked onto the stage and removed a “whistle” used by a girl student during a kolatam performance.

Though the student reportedly used the whistle to signal changes in the movements to her team members, officials among the audience felt featuring Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) party symbol could be a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The incident took place during the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaign held at Nirmala College for Women in Coimbatore.

A video showed Coimbatore district Information and Public Relations Officer A. Senthil Anna removing the whistle from the student performer’s neck. The performance went on thereafter.

District Election Officer and Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar, Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran and Additional Collector (Development) Sanket Balwant Waghe were among the officials present.

Sources said, after the event officials spoke to the school students, who were brought to the college for the performance. The organisers told the officials they were not aware that using the whistle during such an event could violate the poll code.