CHENNAI: The VCK, an ally of the DMK in Tamil Nadu has demanded stringent action against those involved in the sexual assault of a second year engineering student in Anna University campus.
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan on Thursday demanded stern action against those involved in the Anna University sexual assault case and said the authorities should give utmost importance to the safety and security of hostel students.
Speaking to media persons the VCK leader who is also a Member of Parliament from Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency said that the Tamil Nadu government should ensure a fair investigation and bring whoever was involved in the sexual assault case before the law of the land.
He was responding to a question on the alleged accomplice of the main accused Gnanasekaran.
After reports said the accused spoke to a person over the phone, whom he called ‘Sir’, the AIADMK organised a statewide protest asking, “Who is that sir?”
Thirumavalavan who is a powerful Dalit leader of Tamil Nadu and founder of VCK said that Opposition political leaders must be allowed to conduct protests.
He was replying to a question on the arrest of political leaders, including Sowmiya Anbumani of the PMK and Seeman of the NTK for protesting over the issue.
However, he added that politicising the sensitive issue would divert the attention from the key issues, including the safety of the students and welfare of the survivor.
It may be noted that Thirumavalavan’s statement is being keenly watched in Tamil Nadu as a recent statement by a senior leader of the VCK demanding 25 Assembly seats for the party in the 2026 state elections has ruffled feathers and the DMK had even expressed unhappiness over it.
There are reports of VCK and Thirumavalavan seeking other alliance partners in the 2026 Assembly elections and both the AIADMK and the BJP have already expressed their willingness to accommodate VCK.
VCK Deputy General Secretary, Vanni Arasu, in an interview with a Tamil news channel, had a few days ago stated that party cadres were expecting 25 seats to contest in the 2026 elections.
VCK it may be recalled was allocated only 10 seats out of the 234 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections by the DMK.
A senior DMK leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IANS that such repeated demands by the VCK were creating friction within the alliance.