The recent sexual assault incident at Anna University in Chennai has garnered widespread public attention, triggering outrage across the state. The assault, which took place on December 25, has sparked protests and demands for improved safety protocols at the university, particularly from political parties.
On January 3, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s state Mahila Morcha is set to hold a Justice Rally from Madurai to Chennai in response to the incident, with party leaders, including BJP State President K Annamalai, accusing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, the party currently in power in Tamil Nadu, of failing to ensure campus safety.
The rally is expected to culminate in the submission of a memorandum to the Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, outlining demands for action on women’s safety and better security infrastructure on campus.
However, many students at Anna University feel that political parties have diverted attention from the core issue — women’s safety on campus — and instead, are using the incident for their own political agendas.
"I felt people started politicising the issue the moment political parties got involved in the campus protests. The political parties are not talking about the main issue," one student shared, on condition of anonymity.
"The main issue is not if the person is from DMK or not. They are not focusing on women's safety on campus. They are using it as a tool for elections. They have completely changed the focus from women's safety to a political agenda. They do not speak for the victim, they speak for themselves," the student added.
It might be noted that there have been alleations suggesting that the accused had links to the ruling party DMK.
The student added that the political rhetoric surrounding the incident had overshadowed the real need for improved security and greater protection for female students.
While many feel the incident has been hijacked for political gain, a few students believe the attention from political parties and the media has brought the issue to the forefront in a way that may have otherwise been overlooked.
"I think some political parties are actually asking valid questions. If it wasn't for this, the issue wouldn't have been talked about so much. Because of the sensationalisation, even the court has taken suo moto cognisance," said another student from the university, on the condition of anonymity.
Student concerns
The incident has led to increasing concerns about the lack of robust safety measures on campus. Students EdexLive spoke to highlighted that the existing security protocols on campus are ineffective, as anyone can easily enter the campus.
“I personally feel that safety is very important. The thing is that as of now, anyone can enter the campus. The campus is huge. While the security is there, there are bound to be some lapses. They should focus on the lighting on campus. There are some dark spots," said a student.
Students also raised concerns about the non-functional CCTV cameras on campus.
The incident
A second-year student at Anna University was reportedly sexually assaulted by two men on the morning of December 25, following a Christmas mass at a nearby church. The assault occurred in a secluded part of the campus after the victim and her male friend were attacked.
So far, the police has arrested one person in relation to the rape case.
