DMK leader and former T Nagar MLA V P Kalairajan has come under fire for his shocking victim-blaming comments during a televised debate on the Anna University sexual harassment case. Deflecting from the severity of the crime, Kalairajan criticized the victim for her choice of companion, suggesting her trust in the wrong person led to her assault. His remarks, which framed the incident as the woman’s “mistake,” have intensified public outrage against the DMK, already under scrutiny for its handling of rising crimes against women and its failure to protect victims.
The ruling DMK party has come under intense criticism for the rising incidents of crimes against women in the state since it came to power. Recently, a series of harassment complaints involving DMK functionaries has sparked public outrage. One such case, where an engineering student was abused on Anna university college campus, has sent shockwaves throughout the state. The subsequent leak of the FIR, which exposed the victim’s details, has instilled further fear among women, discouraging them from coming forward with complaints about violence. A growing concern is that this could push women back into traditional roles, confined to their homes.
While the DMK had previously prided itself on being the protector of women’s rights, the party’s leaders have shown a shocking lack of sensitivity by publicly blaming victims, which has only deepened their trauma.
In this context, Former T. Nagar MLA and DMK leader V P Kalairajan’s comments, where he blamed the sexual harassment victim during a prime-time debate on a private channel, were not only shocking but also highlighted the party’s regressive mentality and its problematic stance on women’s rights.
DMK leader V. P. Kalairajan blamed the victim for the alleged sexual harassment. He said, “She was in love with that boy. He says that love is a right, dating back to the Sangam era. Yes, it is a fact, a beauty and we are not denying it. But I am pointing out the woman’s mistake. Whom to choose? You should choose wisely. When he arrived, he was a solo man, but he couldn’t protect her and ran for his safety instead. The woman who trusted him is ruined today. This was the mistake made by the women. Women should avoid such mistakes and act responsibly.”
"தவறான காதலனை கொண்டதால் தான் அப்படி ஆனது இது அந்த பெண்ணின் தவறு தான்"
– கலைராஜன், திமுக. இதை விட கீழ் தரமாக ஒருவன் பேச முடியுமா ? 😡#ShameOnYouStalin | #Annamalai pic.twitter.com/TnwsZU30v6
— ᴋᴀʀᴛʜɪ (@SaffronTwitz) December 26, 2024
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