Chennai: Tamil Nadu’s Opposition DMK says it is not slow-pedalling the Pollachi sexual abuse-cum-blackmail case after its initial aggression against the ruling AIADMK, but there are mixed views about the issue’s impact on voters in the April 18 Lok Sabha and assembly by-elections. The DMK says it will keep up raising the issue and believes it will hit the ruling party.
“Our party President M.K. Stalin is talking about the issue in his campaign meetings. The issue will have a negative impact on the AIADMK. We are certainly not going slow or silent on the issue,” DMK leader T.K.S. Elangovan told IANS. S.Valentina, the state President of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), agreed.
“The issue raises emotions in the minds of people across the state and is just not restricted to the people living in Pollachi town. This will reflect in the voting trends,” Valentina told IANS. She said about 200 women have been affected and it will have its echo in the elections.
Four persons — Thirunavukkarasu, Sathish, Sabarirajan and Vasanthakumar — all in their 20s, have been accused of sexually assaulting women in Pollachi and filming the act to blackmail them for money or for physical submission for over seven years. An auto-rickshaw driver in Coimbatore said that this would have a negative effect on the AIADMK alliance candidates in the city as “it is clearly known that members of ruling party in the state are involved in the case”.
However, there were also many who felt that that the case would affect their - or others - voting choice. Public sector employee R. Shanthi said: “My voting decision will not be influenced by the Pollachi issue. I feel the issue has been politicised”, while Chennai cab driver Velu said: “I will not cast my vote on this one issue. The probe is on. Such incidents are happening across the country and not just in Pollachi.” (IANS)
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