CHENNAI: Close on the heels of the NHRC asking Chennai police to book those who pierced cheeks of 20 kids as part of ritual praying for the recovery of the then chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Wednesday demanded that the state government seek an unconditional apology before the people for putting the kids at danger.
In a statement, Ramadoss also demanded that the Tamil Nadu government announce compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each of the young kids whose cheeks were pierced in October last year when Jayalalithaa was admitted at Apollo Hospitals.
Noting the NHRC’s order that asked Chennai police to file a case under Juvenile Justice Act against people who forced 20 children to pierce their cheeks with steel rods, Ramadoss said it was absurd on the part of the then Chennai Commissioner to say that the ritual was done with permission from parents of the children.
“When children are treated on par with god, the Tamil Nadu government should be ashamed of the incident. The government led by chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O. Panneerselvam cannot shirk responsibility for this incident since many leaders of the faction were involved directly,” the PMK leader said. “Action should be taken against ministers involved in the incident and the Tamil Nadu government should unconditionally apologise before the people of the state and the NHRC for the human rights violation,” he said in the statement.
