Why 'Justice for Lavanya' May No Longer Be An Issue Of Tamil Nadu Only

In the last three days, the slogan 'Justice for Lavanya' has started reverberating beyond the borders of Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu Government challenged the order of Madras High Court that handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI). The Supreme Court, in a huge setback to Tamil Nadu government, has allowed the CBI to continue the investigations.

Meanwhile, a powerful section of the Tamil media and politicians, including Tamil Nadu school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, have questioned the conversion angle in the case and have been more than eager to bail out the school administration.

Meanwhile, photos surfaced on social media showing DMK lawmaker Inigo Irudayaraj welcoming the Catholic nun Sahaya Mary when the latter was released from jail on bail. The nun had been earlier arrested under the Juvenile Act apart from charges of abetting suicide. The DMK leader not only hailed the grant of bail but also welcomed the nun with a shawl.

At the same time Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has brought to the attention the forgotten case of Sukanya—another girl who was found dead and was sexually abused inside another convent.

This 16 year-old-case had been forgotten. With the outcry of BJP, the Sukanya case too is now coming into the media limelight. It has also made people wonder if there is a systemic problem in Tamil Nadu in delivering justice to the victims of a particular religious institution.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the largest student union in India has taken the cry of 'Justice for Lavanya' beyond the borders of Tamil Nadu.

Yesterday, the ABVP staged a protest against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin accusing his government of showing 'insensitivity' in the Lavanya suicide case. The students managed to stage their protest despite facing heavy police force.

Netizens have responded with memes contrasting the photo of ABVP cadre getting arrested with the DMK MLA honouring the accused-on-bail with a shawl.

By arresting the national secretary of the ABVP and putting her as well as other students in jail, Tamil Nadu Government has unwittingly catalyzed the spread of the 'justice for Lavanya' movement to other parts of India.

The way in which the case is snowballing into a national controversy is a matter of concern for the ruling party of Tamil Nadu. Already facing allegations of targeting Hindu temples, the DMK would have wanted to avoid the perception that it is over enthusiastic to bail out a Christian institution in the suicide of a girl.

With the issue having clearly crossed the state boundaries, people are now questioning those leaders who voiced their support for 'hijab in classroom' but are silent in the case of Lavanya.