CHENNAI: The AIADMK students’ wing staged a demonstration at Valluvar Kottam on Tuesday, condemning the alleged increase in sexual violence against female students and women across the state. Hundreds of AIADMK cadre raised slogans against the state government’s alleged failure to curb the crimes.
The protest was led by Singai G Ramachandran. Former minister S Valarmathi and P Benjamin addressed the gathering.
AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathiyan said the protest was a wake-up call to the DMK government, urging it to take stringent action against the perpetrators. He said even women police personnel are not safe in the state.
“Recently, a senior police official was suspended for alleged sexual harassment of a woman constable,” Sathiyan said. He alleged that schools were turning into a hub of sexual exploitation. “Only 40% of the affected come forward to file a case, the remaining don’t know where to go, how to take it forward. The government is in denial mode,” Sathiyan alleged.
Ramachandran claimed that 63 school and college girls were molested in the last 100 days. “Over the last couple of years, the number of sexual abuse incidents have increased by about 40-50 %. The government is not taking any action,” Ramachandran claimed.
(With inputs from agencies)