The rape of an Anna University second-year student, appallingly inside the campus, has snowballed into a political controversy in Tamil Nadu and rightly so.
The DMK government has been forced to the back foot as the opposition mounted pressure on the government, which responded apathetically, for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Further, the Madras High Court on Friday took suo motu cognizance of the issue and directed the state to submit its explanation by noon.
BJP state president K Annamalai chose to turn the moment into a politics of theatrics. He flogged himself five times before a supporter intervened by embracing him. Annamalai had announced that he would flog six times with a whip outside his residence at 10 am on Friday to draw people's attention to the sexual assault of the student.
Sivaganga MP and AICC member Karti P Chidambaram, an ally of the ruling DMK, reacted to a video of Annamalai flogging himself with a whip while his supporters chanted "Vetrivel Veeravel, Veeravel Vetrivel," on platform X. Karti commented: "This self-flagellation has no place in a mature political discourse. Its sheer theatrics. Wondering if some astrologer recommended the parikaram, barefoot, self-flagellation, visit to the Lord Murugan's 6 abodes?"
Annamalai has also announced that he would walk barefoot until the DMK regime is dislodged.
The AIADMK demanded a CBI probe into the sexual assault. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswamy said that the police department under the DMK government has no locus standi to investigate the case and render justice to the student without any political hindrance.
Meanwhile, the ruling DMK and its police were busy disproving claims that the suspect in the case, Gnanasekaran (37) is not a DMK member.
Law minister S Regupathy categorically denied that Gnanasekaran is in anyway connected to the DMK. This, after the BJP released pictures of the accused with the ministers Udhayanidhi Stalin and Ma Subramanian. "These photos were likely taken during public events," the minister added.
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, an ally of the DMK, noted that the pictures of the acused with the ministers are being used for a political gain by the BJP.
The National Council for Women has intervened in the case, and among other things, demanded the survivor to be provided with free medical treatment including psychological counselling.
NCW also said that strict action must be taken against the officers who were involved in making the details of the survivor public. Thirumavalavan also demanded a probe into the FIR leak. He also demanded action against those resposnible for leaking the FIR.
According to a report, the suspect in the case was convicted in several criminal cases and moreover, faces over a dozen cases, all relating to robbery and burglary.
Worse, among other things, a representative of the DMK, during a panel discussion in a news channel had the audacity to say that the rape survivor is at fault for the crime inside the Anna University because she "chose a wrong male friend who couldn't save her," as per the comments and a video of the panel discussion posted on platform X by playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada.
The fact that this heinous crime has taken place inside the campus of a reputed university is a blot on the DMK rule in the state.
(With inputs from ENS)