While the recently passed rape law fixed 18 as the minimum age for consensual sex, the PMK came out with its own postulate: Young men and women should not think of engaging in love before 21 years.
Addressing the party’s annual ‘Chithirai Peruvizha’ here on Thursday, PMK founder S Ramadoss unfurled the party’s agenda for the 2016 assembly election. He said, “Our main agenda in the 2016 election will be amendments to Protection of Civil Rights Act. If we come to power, the amendments will be made immediately.”
Explaining, he said, “Under the aegis of that law, many youth from other castes take away our women and children. They have been raped and cheated. If we complain about this, the police in turn file cases against us under the PCR Act.”
He alleged that youth from other castes “engage in love with our women children in the age of 13 to 18. They then elope with our children and, later, demand money. We condemn the love in this age group and we term this ‘love drama’. If you engage in love in the age of 13 to 18 years, it is rape or sexual abuse.”
Various other caste Hindu organisations like 24 Manai Telugu Chettiar Sangam, Thevar federations, Tamil Nadu Nadar Peravai, Kongu Vellalar Sangam and others, too joined the rhetoric.
The shore temple in Mamallapuram bore a busy look as PMK supporters began arriving a day before the event. Traffic arrangements were made but heavy congestion were witnessed on the roads. “There were 5 lakh people,” said an organiser. “For the first time, we have invited other caste Hindu community leaders.”
The meeting passed many resolutions, including reservation for all communities, cancellation of engineering entrance exams, having a separate commission to investigate improper use of PCR Act, implementing liquor ban and providing equal compensation to farmers affected by drought.