Chennai: AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran has urged the Tamil Nadu government to take strict action without bias against TVK functionaries who have been accused in cases of sexual harassment against women.
In a social media post he released on this, he said, “TVK functionaries who are getting caught one after another in cases of sexual violence against women—has the Chief Minister, who said ‘No compromise’ in crimes against women, become ‘Compromise’ only when it comes to his party functionaries?
Video footage has surfaced on social media and in the media showing TVK functionaries allegedly involved in two separate sexual assault incidents: one involving sexual harassment of a 65-year-old woman who was staying on a roadside platform in Chennai’s Ashok Nagar, and another involving sexual harassment of a woman near Ettayapuram in Thoothukudi district. In the incident near Ettayapuram, TVK members were also seen threatening members of the public who confronted the TVK functionary involved, right in the presence of police officers.
The sexual allegation said to have been made against a female TVK functionary by the Srivaikuntam MLA in Thoothukudi district, along with the sexual allegation against the TVK district secretary and another functionary in the same district, and the failure to take appropriate action against TVK members in various such sexual offense cases at the right time, have led to TVK members freely engaging in such crimes. At the same time, the question has arisen among the public whether the Chief Minister, who said “No compromise” on sexual crimes against women, is making “Compromise” only for TVK members.
The Chief Minister, who said in the Assembly itself that there is a reason behind every crime that takes place every day in Tamil Nadu, what explanation is he going to give for the allegation that most of those involved in sexual crimes against women after TVK assumes power in Tamil Nadu are TVK functionaries?
The Chief Minister says that the main reason for crimes against women is the use of narcotic drugs, which has taken root in society. Even though he made it one of his first three signatures to prevent it, why has he not implemented it so far?
Likewise, when allegations arose that one of the ministers in his cabinet had used drugs, why was no investigation at all conducted against him?
Overall, Chief Minister Vijay, who has taken no constructive action whatsoever on drug prevention measures or on crimes against women, saying “No compromise” is shameful.
Therefore, I urge TVK leader and Chief Minister Vijay to ensure that strict action is taken without bias against TVK functionaries who have been accused in incidents of sexual harassment against women, and that necessary measures are taken to crack down with an iron hand on those who commit sexual crimes against women in the future,” Dhinakaran said.
