It appears the initial period of goodwill has ended for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who now faces his first major challenge. Within 15 days of the TVK-led coalition assuming office, the state saw two serious crimes against minors. Opposition figures, including BJP leader Annamalai, have criticized CM Vijay regarding the killing of a 17-year-old boy near Meenakshi temple in Madurai and the rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore.
A TVK minister’s reply to the Coimbatore incident and footage of police appearing lighthearted before a press briefing, which circulated widely, intensified the criticism. The pressure led Vijay to reference a fast-tracked Pocso case in defense of his administration.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai condemned the TVK government under CM Vijay for the two violent crimes. He stated that the new administration had not yet moved past its celebratory phase.
“Drug peddlers, sexual assaulters, and murderers have a free pass in Tamil Nadu. The State police seem to have learnt no lessons from the past, and the new TVK government is yet to emerge from its celebratory mode and confront the grim realities unfolding on the ground,” Annamalai posted on X.
Annamalai’s comments followed the stabbing death of minor A Gubendran by five assailants at a Madurai shopping complex near the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple on May 25. On May 22, he called on the Vijay government and police to act swiftly in the Coimbatore case.
“It is deeply concerning that the same unsafe environment for women and children that prevailed during the previous DMK regime continues even now. The TVK government has been in power for about two weeks. Amid the inauguration festivities, Chief Minister Thiru Vijay must remember that he is in a situation where he needs to immediately take stringent measures for the protection of women and children,” Annamalai wrote.
Other opposition leaders, including Tamil Nadu Assembly’s Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, questioned Vijay on his campaign pledges to prioritize the safety of women and children.
“Respected Chief Minister Sir, Is this Tamil Nadu, or Uttar Pradesh?” Stalin asked on X, noting that Vijay had spoken strongly before elections but remained silent now. He highlighted several recent incidents, including another assault in Villupuram and a petrol bomb attack in Coimbatore.
AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami also raised concerns about law and order under the TVK government following the Coimbatore case. Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran accused Vijay of inaction while children faced harm.
A controversy arose when Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Keerthana declined to comment on the Coimbatore incident during a media interaction, saying she would address only administrative questions. BJP figures criticized her demeanor, and further footage of police added to the scrutiny on the government.
