Chennai, March 14 (IANS) Leaders of BJP's Tamil Nadu unit believe the Pollachi sexual abuse-cum-blackmail case will not have an impact in the Coimbatore belt even as the Opposition is trying to take political advantage of the sordid episode.
Agreeing that people are upset at the sexual abuse of girls in their region, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Thursday said the DMK and its allies are trying to gain political mileage, but it may cut no ice with the public in Coimbatore.
The BJP is part of the AIADMK-led alliance in the state for the Lok Sabha elections. The party is hoping to contest the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency in the general elections.
"There is silent anger in the hearts of Pollachi people. Even students while protesting had said they will show their anger in the voting booth if the culprits are not brought to book at the earliest, while the victims' identities are to be protected," a Coimbatore resident told IANS.
"The DMK is giving a political colour and the people understands the politics behind it," Vanathi Srinivasan, General Secretary, Tamil Nadu unit of BJP, told IANS.
"We have made representations to the police to protect identities of the victims of sexual abuse. The government is taking action, like detaining the four arrested under the Goondas Act and transferring the probe to CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)," she said.
Srinivasan said she was shocked to hear about the crime as Pollachi is a small town with lower crime rate. A lawyer by profession, she said the family members of the victims should extend support to them.
The party's state OBC Morcha chief S.K. Kharventhan said the opposition was trying to spoil the goodwill earned by Palaniswami in this belt. "Chief Minister K. Palaniswami has gained good name by laying the foundation stone for the long-pending Athikadavu-Avinashi drinking water-cum-irrigation scheme," Kharventhan told IANS.
Kharventhan said the sexual abuse-cum-blackmail must have been going on for a long time, going by the number of videos that are said to be shot. It's believed about 1,600 videos have been shot by the culprits.
He said it was the AIADMK that protested first demanding action against the culprits. "The opposition is trying to gain political advantage and is not concerned about the impact it would have on the victims," Kharventhen said.
On Wednesday, a former AIADMK MP K.C. Palanisamy told IANS: "The Pollachi sexual assault case will have its impact not only in the Pollachi Lok Sabha constituency but also in the neighbouring seats like Coimbatore, Erode, Nilgiris and Tiruppur."
According to him, the people of the area believe in self-respect and "will not go easy on this sordid episode in the polls," he said.
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