Condemning the DMK government’s inaction in taking action against a party Youth Wing functionary allegedly involved in a sex abuse racket in Arakkonam in Ranipet district, the opposition AIADMK will hold a massive protest on May 21.
In a hard-hitting statement, AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) the protest was to highlight the abject failure of the DMK government in containing the atrocities against women.
He charged DMK Youth Wing functionary Deivacheyal of Ranipet district with abducting a college girl and sexually abusing her and also forcing her to accommodate others. Expressing shock at the police not registering the FIR with complete details provided by the victim, EPS alleged that she was being threatened by DMK bigwigs.
“Despite the girl telling him that she was already married and her divorce proceeding is before a court, the DMK functionary had kidnapped her and forcibly married her. He had also introduced her as his wife to many DMK leaders. Another woman had also approached the police last March, complaining about Deivacheyal forcibly marrying her and sexually abusing her for five years. She had also informed that the DMK office-bearer had cheated many women in a similar manner.
“Further, the police had initially tried to pacify the complainant and a complaint was registered after a long struggle, that too after the intervention of Arakkonam AIADMK legislator S Ravi,” read the statement.
Quoting the version of the complainant, EPS said “Nearly 20 women are held hostage by the DMK functionary and that she is facing threats from those associated with the DMK, including the Personal Assistant of a minister.”
Drawing a parallel with the horrific Pollachi sex scandal which took place during the AIADMK regime and being used by the DMK as a stick to beat the EPS government, he said “I have honestly transferred the Pollachi case to the CBI. But, your government is trying to dilute the Arakkonam case. For the DMK’s lawless administration, Arakkonam is a witness,” he said.