News Tamil Nadu

BJP Leader Annamalai Welcomes TVK Vijay’s Meet With TN Governor RN Ravi Over Anna Univ Sexual Assault Case, Vijay Had Earlier Called For Abolishing Governor Post

December 30, 2024
The Commune

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai lauded actor-turned-politician Vijay for meeting Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi in Chennai to address the horrifying sexual assault incident at Anna University. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay submitted a petition urging enhanced law and order measures and comprehensive safety protocols for women in public spaces, educational institutions, and workplaces. His meeting with the Governor comes despite his earlier political stance advocating the abolition of the gubernatorial position, a contradiction noted by critics.

Annamalai, while criticizing the DMK government for its alleged mishandling of the case, expressed hope that Vijay’s engagement with Governor Ravi would bring attention to the deteriorating safety conditions for women in Tamil Nadu. He urged all political parties to unite to ensure justice for the victim.

Full-time actor-turned-part-time-politician Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi in Chennai in light of the sexual assault incident at Anna University, which has sparked widespread outrage. The assault, which occurred on 23 December 2024, involved a second-year student and has resulted in one arrest. Four special police teams are investigating the case.

Vijay submitted a petition that called for maintaining law and order in the state and taking necessary measures to ensure the safety of women everywhere.

Protests have erupted across Tamil Nadu, with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Women Welfare Federation demonstrating outside Anna University’s Guindy campus, demanding justice and enhanced security for women in educational institutions.

Vijay Statement

Vijay, the leader of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), expressed his shock and concern over the incident in a statement on his party’s X handle. He wrote, “The news of a student being sexually assaulted inside the Anna University campus in Chennai is deeply shocking and painful. Although the police have informed that the person who sexually assaulted the student has been arrested, I urge the Tamil Nadu government to take swift legal action against him and ensure that he is punished accordingly. Furthermore, if anyone else was involved in this heinous crime, appropriate action should also be taken against them promptly. Using the Nirbhaya fund allocated every year, we should identify places where women are not safe and install smart poles, emergency buttons, CCTV cameras, telephones, etc., ensure women’s safety in all city buses, provide women’s toilet facilities in public places, provide emergency telephones and mobile apps for women’s safety, and ensure the safety of women in all places including educational institutions, private institutions, and public places. In addition to establishing all of these, it is also necessary to continuously monitor whether they are fully functional. In doing these, appropriate safety precautions should be taken without any compromise. It is also necessary to create adequate legal assistance and psychological awareness so that women can defend themselves with mental strength in any situation. I also request the government to create this awareness among women during their education period.”

Madras HC & NCW Response

The Madras High Court took immediate action, setting up an all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the assault and the leak of the victim’s FIR. The SIT consists of IPS officers Sneha Priya, Ayman Jamal, and Brinda. The court also ordered a Rs 25 lakh compensation for the victim and mandated Anna University to provide her with free education, boarding, lodging, and counseling. The Tamil Nadu DGP was warned to implement stricter measures to prevent FIR leaks in future sexual offense cases.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sent a two-member fact-finding team to investigate the case and monitor the government’s response.

Annamalai Welcomes Vijay Meeting With Governor Ravi

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party chief Annamalai severely condemned the assault and the way the DMK government was handling the issue – right from leaking of FIR to not taking action on time on a repeat offender, Gnanasekaran, who also was found to be a DMK office bearer.

Annamalai welcomed the development – Vijay meeting the Governor, and wrote on his X handle, “Despite condemning the sexual assault of a DMK executive on an Anna University student, the police and ministers have been speaking out in contradictory terms about the investigation, and the DMK has been continuously voicing its lack of @BJP4Tamilnadu in the government’s investigation. Today, we welcome the fact that the President of Tamil Nadu Vetri Kalka, Brother Mr. @tvkvijayhq, also met and spoke to the Honorable Governor about the insecurity of women under the DMK regime. Condemning the DMK government for its continued attempts to divert the case, I, as the brother of the victim student, request all parties to come forward. Our sister must get justice.”

Vijay Had Asked For Removal Of Governor Post

Vijay conducted his first political rally in the last week of October 2024. At the rally, Vijay outlined his party’s ideology and objectives, emphasizing equality, social justice, and secularism. He also advocated for the promotion of Tamil as the official language in courts and called for the removal of the position of Governor. If Vijay had been a rational person, he would’ve realized that calling for the abolishing of the Governor’s post is unconstitutional. The Constitutional post has been put in place by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar whom he claims to be one of the guiding ideologues for the party.

However, he deemed it fit to meet the governor and raise the Anna University sexual assault issue with the same governor – a position he wanted to be abolished.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.