CHENNAI: Expressing shock at the report about the increase in child marriages in Tamil Nadu, BJP state president K Annamalai blamed the state government for the worrying trend. He was referring to a report on child marriages published in TNIE on Tuesday.
Responding to a question during a press conference at BJP headquarters, Annamalai said, “It is indeed a piece of shocking information that the child marriages have gone up by 50% in 2023-24 in the state. The DMK government’s performance is not up to the mark by any key indicator.”
He further said that in each district, the government has an officer tasked with preventing child marriages.
“Is the Chief Minister reviewing this aspect? According to a research study, when the economy of the state surges, the number of child marriages should come down. But why is this upside down in Tamil Nadu? Our question to the state government is why it has failed to discharge its basic duty (to prevent child marriages),” he added.
‘Me, Balaji are pangalis’
When asked about his relationship with businessman Senthilkumar, at whose properties I-T raids were held recently, Annamalai said that Senthilkumar is his distant relative.
In Coimbatore, half of the people who faced I-T raids last year were my relatives, he said and added that he could be responsible only if the person involved was his blood relative.
In this connection, Annamalai said, “Yes. I-T raids took place in the places of my distant relative. Myself and Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji are relatives, we are Pangalis (paternal kinsmen) and offer worship at the same temple. We both dined together at my residence before my political entry.
Jothimani and I are also relatives and we have known each other for two decades. Before entering politics, I have had food at her house. Minister AR Sakkarapani and I are relatives. Myself and MR Vijaya Bhaskar in Karur are also related. But we are opposing each other in politics because of differing ideologies.”