A video featuring Thiruchengode MLA and DMK ally ER Eswaran has triggered widespread condemnation after he made remarks perceived as victim-blaming in connection with the recent gang rape case in Coimbatore. In the viral clip shared by former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, Eswaran suggested that a man and woman being together late at night reflected “social degradation.” The comment sparked sharp reactions from political leaders and women’s rights activists, who accused him of shifting responsibility from the accused to the survivor.
Annamalai On Tamil Nadu MLA’s Remarks On Coimbatore Rape Case
Annamalai, posting on X, denounced the remarks as “regressive and insensitive,” calling Eswaran a “mouthpiece of the DMK.” He said the ruling party had created an environment where victims were routinely shamed while cases languished without accountability. He also drew parallels with the Anna University incident, where a student’s personal details were made public, describing it as “deplorable.”
திமுகவின் ஊதுகுழலாகவே மாறிவிட்ட ஒருவர், கோவை பாலியல் தாக்குதலுக்குள்ளான மாணவியின் மீதே பழியைச் சுமத்திப் பேசியிருப்பது வன்மையான கண்டனத்துக்குரியது. குற்றவாளிகளைப் பற்றி எதுவும் கூறாமல், பாதிக்கப்பட்ட பெண்ணைப் பற்றி, முற்றிலும் பிற்போக்குத் தனமான கருத்தைத் தெரிவித்திருக்கிறார்.… pic.twitter.com/D6MB9WNdWj
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) November 5, 2025
The BJP leader further questioned why the police had not released additional information about the suspects in the Coimbatore case, alleging that DMK allies were being used to divert attention from law-and-order lapses.
The Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) also condemned Eswaran’s comments. Party general secretary Aadhav Arjuna said the MLA’s statement had fueled public anger in Coimbatore. “Women and men have the right to move freely at any time. Our leader will ensure that freedom when he comes to power,” Arjuna said, describing the incident as a “brutal rape.”
Amid mounting criticism, Eswaran defended his position in an interview with India Today, asserting that such crimes arise from “a lack of moral education.” He argued that law enforcement alone could not prevent such acts and called for the reintroduction of moral science lessons in schools.
