Tamil Nadu Speaker J C D Prabhakar faces backlash over anti-abortion rally participation

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar has faced criticism from rights advocates and political figures after participating in the ‘March for Life’ rally in Chennai. The event, hosted by the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore at Stella Maris College, featured slogans such as ‘Abortion is Murder’ and advocated for the protection of unborn life.

During the rally, Prabhakar expressed the belief that every child is a gift from God and that abortions should not take place. Critics, including BJP state chief Nainar Nagenthran, argued that the Speaker’s participation in a religious-leaning protest undermines the constitutional principles of secularism and women’s bodily autonomy.

In response to the controversy, Tamil Nadu Health Minister K G Arunraj clarified that abortion is a legal medical necessity under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act. The Minister noted that women can legally undergo abortions up to 20 weeks of pregnancy and urged the public not to misinterpret the Speaker’s personal views as official state policy.