Chennai, Aug 5 (IANS) VCK leader and MP Thol Thirumavalavan has announced that his party will stage statewide protests across all district headquarters on August 9, demanding that the Tamil Nadu government enact special legislation to curb honour killings.

In a statement, Thirumavalavan expressed concern over the recent spate of caste-based murders in the state and called for stringent legal measures to eradicate such crimes.

“We are demanding a separate law to address honour killings, which continue to plague our society. Our protests on August 9 will send a strong message to the government,” he said.

In addition to the protest announcement, Thirumavalavan strongly criticised the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted in poll-bound Bihar. He called the drive an “anti-democratic exercise” allegedly orchestrated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under pressure from the BJP-led Union government.

He claimed that the first phase of the SIR had resulted in the exclusion of around 65 lakh voters, a majority of whom were from minority communities.

“This is a premeditated move that poses a serious threat to democracy,” he alleged.

Thirumavalavan also condemned the silence in Parliament over the issue. “Though several Opposition leaders and Members of Parliament have demanded a debate on this matter, the SIR has not been taken up for discussion so far,” he said.

He urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the implications of the SIR and develop a common strategy.

The VCK leader further warned that a similar voter revision exercise could soon be carried out in Tamil Nadu.

“We have received information that the ECI is planning to implement SIR across all states. It could be carried out here as well,” he cautioned.

He raised concerns over the enrolment of interstate migrant workers in the Tamil Nadu electoral rolls. “Around 70 lakh people have migrated to Tamil Nadu from other states for work and trade. Attempts to enrol them without proper scrutiny may pose a threat to the interests of the state in the long run,” he added.

–IANS

aal/dpb