Tamil Nadu women’s commission summons K Bhagyaraj

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Women’s Commission has summoned actor-director K Bhagyaraj for blaming survivors of sexual abuse for ‘creating situations that lead to assault’.
The director has been told to appear before the commission on Monday. “His comments have created quite a stir and we are all curious to know why he said it,” said Kannagi Packianathan, chairperson of the commission.
At the audio launch of the movie ‘Karuthukalai Pathivu Sei’, which has scenes based on the sexual abuse cases in Pollachi, the actor-director said it was unfair to place all the blame on men. “Women too have given them opportunities for mistakes to happen,” he said. During his 16-minute speech, he referred to poets and said Valluvar wrote poems on chastity only for women. He also criticised women for chatting ‘unnecessarily’ on phone.
Andhra Pradesh Women’s Commission chairperson Vasireddy Padma had sought action from the ‘highest level of government and judiciary’ against the director.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)