'Does CM Vijay really care about women's safety?' Udhayanidhi questions government over Srivaikuntam case

CHENNAI: DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday (June 11) attacked the ruling TVK government over the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Thoothukudi's Srivaikuntam, questioning whether Chief Minister Vijay was genuinely concerned about the safety of women in Tamil Nadu.

In a post on X, Udhayanidhi alleged that a woman, said to be a fan of Vijay, was taken in a car by two persons close to Srivaikuntam TVK MLA Saravanan on the pretext of securing her a job and was sexually assaulted.

What allegations did Udhayanidhi make?

Udhayanidhi claimed that the victim had alleged that MLA Saravanan attempted to broker a compromise by speaking to Minister N Anand and assuring her that she would be given a job. He further said the woman had alleged that another woman had also been victimised and that another minister was aware of the issue.

According to Udhayanidhi, the victim had also alleged that the accused claimed the matter was known to higher-ups in the ruling party, raising questions about "who those higher-ups" were.

What did Udhayanidhi say about the government's response?

The DMK leader accused the government of attempting to cover up the issue instead of ensuring justice for the victim. He said, "that while action had not been taken against the perpetrators, the victim had been expelled from the party."

He also referred to Vijay's recent remarks that he is disturbed whenever he hears about incidents of sexual assault. Questioning the government's actions, he asked why action was allegedly being taken against the victim when the accused were linked to the ruling party.

What action did he seek?

Calling for justice, Udhayanidhi demanded that the victim in the Srivaikuntam case receive complete justice. "I seek an immediate removal of MLA Saravanan from the office and called for action against those responsible for the alleged assault."