Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar has sparked a massive row with his anti-abortion remarks. Prabhakar recently took part in an anti-abortion rally and spoke against abortion. During the gathering, which explicitly criticised the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTP Act), Prabhakar reportedly echoed global anti-abortion sentiments by declaring that "life begins at conception." The Speaker's presence and rhetoric at the rally drew sharp criticism from progressive voices and rights advocates, especially online. "I consider this an event expressing the belief that every unborn child has dignity," the Speaker was quouted as saying by media reports.
5th National March for Life
Prabhakar attended the 5th National March for Life as a chief guest on August 8 and 9. The event, hosted by the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore at Stella Maris College, drew over 5,000 participants to protest abortion rights and advocate for the protection of unborn life.
Health Minister clarifies remarks
His remark has created ripples in social media, prompting state Health Minister KG Arunraj to clarify on Monday that abortions are often a medical necessity and are strictly regulated by national law.
Replying to queries by reporters during a press conference called to announce the MBBS/BDS rank list for 2026-27, the Health Minister sought to temper the controversy, noting that he was unaware of the context of the Speaker's statements and urging the public not to misinterpret them.
"Abortion is regulated through the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act," the minister stated.
"Legally, as per the current law, women can legally undergo an abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. In the medical field, across many circumstances, abortion is a definitive medical necessity, and it is something we must do," Arunraj said.
Asked about the constitutional and political implications of the Speaker's anti-abortion stance, the minister distanced the health framework from Prabhakar's personal views. "I do not know in what sense the Honourable Assembly Speaker made those comments. Please do not misunderstand it," he said.
Critics pointed to the Supreme Court of India's 2021 ruling, which upheld a woman's reproductive autonomy and the right to a safe abortion as a fundamental right protected under Article 21 of the Constitution. Earlier, an FIR was registered against DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin in controversy after a video from a Cauvery protest in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur showed him making a remark involving actor Trisha that critics alleged carried a double meaning.
With PTI inputs
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