Actor-turned-politician Vijay, the president of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Katchi (TVK), met with Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Monday, following widespread outrage over the alleged sexual assault of an engineering student at Anna University in Chennai. The meeting comes as part of Vijay’s efforts to address concerns over the state’s law and order situation and the safety of women.
Vijay, who recently launched his political party in October, submitted a memorandum to the governor, urging him to intervene and take immediate action to ensure women’s safety across Tamil Nadu. TVK General Secretary N Anand stated that the meeting was focused on the deteriorating law and order situation, particularly crimes against women.
The meeting marked a significant political move for Vijay, who has been outspoken about women’s rights. In a recent open letter to the women of Tamil Nadu, Vijay expressed his deep anguish over the “mass atrocities” against women, vowing to create a safer state. Additionally, his petition also called for Union government funds to aid those affected by Cyclone Fengal.
The BJP, led by Tamil Nadu Chief K Annamalai, supported Vijay’s move. Annamalai praised Vijay’s decision to meet with the governor, emphasizing concerns about the safety of women under the current DMK government. On social media, Annamalai welcomed the actor-politician’s actions, highlighting the issue of insecurity for women in Tamil Nadu.
However, Vijay’s political act did not sit well with all parties. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the ruling DMK, criticized Vijay’s actions as “elite politics” and accused him of adopting BJP-like tactics. The opposition AIADMK party also intensified its protests over the Anna University case, accusing the DMK government of negligence and suppressing dissent. AIADMK members took to the streets with placards reading “Who is the sir?”, referencing an incident in which the accused allegedly referred to someone as “sir” during the assault. Protesters were detained by police but later released.
AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami criticized the DMK’s handling of the case, accusing Chief Minister M K Stalin’s government of attempting to shield those involved in the crime, calling it an “attempt to suppress democracy.”
The incident, which came to light on December 23 when a student from Anna University reported the assault, led to the arrest of 37-year-old Gnanasekaran, a street vendor. The Madras High Court has since appointed an all-woman Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case further.
