Taking strong exception to Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar’s reported remarks, Doctors’ Association for Social Equality (DASE) has opposed his comments.
On August 12, the DASE’ general secretary, Dr GR Ravindranath, told media persons that the Assembly Speaker’s views against abortion were an infringement upon women’s rights. He said women have the legal right to undergo abortion under the law enacted in India in 1971. Ravindranath said “the Supreme Court has also recognised women’s right”, adding that the Speaker’s attending a religious campaign against abortion was unacceptable.
Ravindranath said, “Abortions are performed for various reasons, including when physical abnormalities are detected in the foetus or when a woman’s health is at risk. There are incidents when courts intervened and allowed MTC of minor rape victims. They were done after the medical team’s opinion on whether such MTC would not endanger both the mother and the foetus. Attempts to prevent abortions could push women towards illegal procedures, endangering their lives”.
In a statement, DASE said, “J.C.D. Prabhakar, making anti-abortion statements, is against women’s reproductive rights. Expressing views contrary to the rights granted to women by law will be considered an anti-woman act. The Speaker must refrain from making such remarks”.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker Prabhakar flagged off the 5th National March for Life India in Chennai, a Catholic Christian religious event, where thousands of people participated in a rally opposing abortion and advocating for the protection of unborn life.
In that, Prabhakar reportedly spoke: “I consider this rally as a voice reminding us that even before a child sees this world, that life has value. I consider this an event expressing the belief that every unborn child has dignity”.
He also invoked religious beliefs while speaking about the importance of childbirth and family, arguing that an unborn child had a future and a purpose. The Speaker said that he was happy to see the movement centred on that belief.
Prabhakar said, “Gradually, it reached a point where people started thinking, ‘Why have a child at all?’ We all know well that this mindset is the root cause of recent trends”.
He was allegedly referring to the attitude shifting from “We two, for us two” to “We two, for us one” and later to delaying childbirth.
TN Health Minister KG Arunraj told media, “Abortion is regulated through the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act. 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”. But he refused to comment on the constitutional and political implications of the Speaker’s anti-abortion stance.
BJP Tamil Nadu chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said Prabhakar’s participation was against the rights of women. He said, “Even though abortion is legal under Indian law, slogans such as ‘abortion is murder’ and other demands opposing the abortion law were raised. The Speaker’s participation in this event has now become controversial as it is against the rights of women.
“There is nothing wrong with the Speaker being a believer in the Christian faith, but showing eagerness to impose that religion and its beliefs on the public is not appropriate,” he further said.
I saw some visuals of Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar participating in a Christian/ Catholican religious procession against abortion. Various slogans opposing women’s rights were raised during that procession. Even though abortion is legal under Indian law, slogans such as…
— Narayanan Thirupathy (@narayanantbjp) August 10, 2026
BJP Mahila Morcha president Vanathi Srinivasan told media, “He is trying to exhibit his Christian beliefs at every chance he gets; abortion is a woman’s right.”
“He is trying to exhibit his Christian beliefs at every chance he gets; abortion is a woman's right.”
– BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan after TN Assembly Speaker Prabhakar attends anti-abortion rally pic.twitter.com/1WWbTiTCsu
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) August 11, 2026
BJP leader Vinoj P Selvam questioned whether the same response would have followed had a Hindu organisation organised a similar anti-abortion march.
BJP leaders say, “the Congress, DMK, DK, Communists, and VCK, who would have sharply criticised Hindu beliefs and gods by now, are now silent as minorities vote along religious lines. These political parties dare to call these incidents ‘communalism’.”
Critics say, “DASE aligns with progressive, left-leaning, and Dravidian-rationalist principles in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. Its stand in this case is appreciable. We recall an incident in October 2012, when Savita Halappanavar, a Karnataka-born dentist who died in Ireland from sepsis after her request for an abortion was denied on legal grounds. Her death triggered widespread protests and renewed debate over Ireland’s abortion laws. The Speaker’s endorsement of conservative religious events could be described as conservative religious events. We warn it can contribute to polarisation”.
DASE said Tamil Nadu should instead seek a permanent exemption for UG, PG and super-speciality medical seats under its control, adding that abolition of NEET could benefit private medical colleges and deemed universities and increase the burden on poor and middle-class students.
