CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday condemned the alleged sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl in Kumarapalayam in Namakkal district and criticised the state government over women’s safety.
In a post on X, Palaniswami said it was shocking that such an incident had come to light on International Women’s Day. He said the young girl, who had allegedly been playing on the street, was sexually assaulted and later admitted to hospital in a critical condition.
Alleging “administrative failure” on the part of the government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, the AIADMK leader said women and girls in the state were not safe anywhere. He claimed that from young children to elderly women, many were living in fear due to what he described as the government’s inability to prevent crimes against women.
Questioning the ruling dispensation, Palaniswami asked how the government could seek another term in office when even a seven-year-old child could not feel safe on the streets. Referring to the ruling party’s slogan on women’s empowerment, he said such campaigns would appear meaningless if incidents like this continued to occur.
He demanded strict legal action against those responsible for the crime and urged the state to ensure that the child received proper and immediate medical treatment. He also called for stronger measures to prevent crimes against women.
Meanwhile, Vijay (actor)-led TVK’s general secretary for propaganda and campaign, Arunraaj, also condemned the incident. In a post on X, he described the alleged abduction and sexual assault as shocking and accused the DMK government of failing to ensure the safety of women and children. He further alleged that criminals no longer feared the law.