The alleged sexual harassment of a woman IPS officer by Special DGP (Law and Order) Rajesh Das was an indication that women were not safe in Tamil Nadu, DMK president M.K. Stalin said.
“The Chief Minister should hang his head in shame because there are a few black sheep among honest IPS officers and they have made it unsafe even for the female IPS officers,” Mr. Stalin said in a statement.
He said the woman IPS officer deserved his appreciation since she had come forward to lodge a complaint when others failed to complain out of fear. “The complaint has exposed the claim of the Chief Minister that Tamil Nadu is a safe haven for women,” he said. He noted it was not the first time an IPS officer was facing a sexual harassment charge.
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“There was a complaint against then DVAC IG Murugan [in 2018] and the Chief Minister sought to keep it under carpet. A case was filed only after the court intervened. He is protecting police officers to save himself from corruption and illegal activities,” the DMK leader said.
Mr. Stalin said it was the height of arrogance that a Special DGP, on duty during the Chief Minister’s tour, had harassed a woman officer.
Claiming that the Chief Minister sought to protect Mr. Das, he said, “The DMK will not allow such a shameful situation. If the government protects the officer and undermines the safety of women officers, the DMK will launch a protest.”
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CPI(M) state secretary K. Balakrishnan demanded suspension of Mr. Das to ensure a fair inquiry into the sexual harassment allegations against him.
“The incident has taken place in the wake of the arrest of a AIADMK functionary (since expelled) in the Pollachi sexual assault case. It has thoroughly exposed the AIADMK government,” he said.