Violence faced by couples in love should be seen as social issue, says Ezhilan

DMK Thousand Lights MLA Ezhilan Naganathan and Nagappattinam MLA Aloor Shanavas pledged to work together along with other allies to make the ‘Freedom of Marriage and Association, Prohibition of Crimes in the name of Honour Bill 2022’ a reality in Tamil Nadu, at a state-level consultative meeting organised by Madurai-based Human rights organisation, Evidence, in Chennai on Saturday.

DMK Thousand Lights MLA Ezhilan Naganathan and Nagappattinam MLA Aloor Shanavas pledged to work together along with other allies to make the ‘Freedom of Marriage and Association, Prohibition of Crimes in the name of Honour Bill 2022’ a reality in Tamil Nadu, at a state-level consultative meeting organised by Madurai-based Human rights organisation, Evidence, in Chennai on Saturday.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Ezhilan said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reiterated that this should be seen as social issue across the political spectrum and that the DMK, VCK and Congress should work together to make the law a reality. “Even though lawmakers pass a law, it is the bureaucracy that implements it. So, we have to represent to the important officers in bureaucracy who believe in the cause of social justice. We have to work in a synchronised manner to make the law a reality,” he said.

Having worked as an activist and a lawmaker, Dr. Ezhilan said social organisations were very important in society as they were the ones to engage with and change the existing mindsets in the society.  “A political party takes decisions in accordance with the mindset of the people. In an hybrid system, it is a challenge to convert ideas of social activists into concrete political policies. There is resistance for it. We can talk openly about it. At the end of the day, is about not upsetting the vote bank of the majority caste. We have to push through this legislation despite all these resistances,” he said.

VCK MLA Aloor Shanavas said the issue of crimes against couples who fall in love was not just a problem faced by one particular community but across communities, and it had been prove can happen within the same community. “The mixing of faeces in drinking water in Vengaivayal is a crime against humanity. But, there exists a situation today that only that community which is affected must speak for it. All the Opposition parties that oppose and want to expose the DMK have not spoken about it. But, the AIADMK, NTK and BJP have not protested, but the VCK, CPI, CPI(M) and Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi, who are allies of the DMK, are protesting against it,” he said.

Mr. Shanavas said it was important for all political parties to discuss the issue and that’s when the government would give it the attention it deserves. “In the last government, O. Pannerselvam (former Deputy Chief Minister and ousted AIADMK co-ordinator) got up in the Assembly and said that Tamil Nadu doesn’t have honour crimes. But, Chief Minister Stalin is not someone who says that the issue is non-existent in Tamil Nadu, and it is being taken up for debate in the Assembly. This law should be passed by Tamil Nadu and show the way to India,” he said.