Tamil Nadu Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Monday (August 17, 2026) said there was a clear link between drug culture and sexual assault on children, reiterating there was a 40% increase in cases filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, between 2023 and 2026, when the DMK was in power.

He said drug culture did not emerge in the last 100 days, and the foundation for it was laid during the DMK regime. “That is why people removed you [the DMK] from power. Your defeat has direct links with drug culture,” he claimed.

Responding to Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, who raised the issue of suspected drug use by Human Resources Minister D. Sarathkumar, Mr. Arjuna claimed there had been no drug culture in Tamil Nadu until 2020. The number of cases filed under the POCSO Act in 2020 was over 4,000, and the number increased to 6,064 in 2021, 6,580 in 2022, and 6,968 in 2023. “A total of 10,046 cases were filed between 2023 and 2026, a 40% increase in POCSO cases,” he said, and showed a photograph of a DMK member whom he accused of sexually assaulting a two-year-old girl.

“What action did the then Deputy Chief Minister (Udhayanidhi) take against him?” he asked, evoking protests from DMK members.

Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar said the PWD Minister was speaking with evidence and the DMK members could also record their views. “The Leader of the Opposition went beyond the issue of the special calling attention motion and touched upon issues across the State. I allowed him. The Ministers have collective responsibility even if the Chief Minister is not in the House,” the Speaker said, responding to DMK members who questioned the Ministers’ replies when the Chief Minister was holding the Home and Police portfolios.

Mr. Arjuna said drug use was an important issue and all members of the House would agree. “Stringent action would be taken, and our Chief Minister will stand by the mothers of the students killed. There will be no political pressure during the inquiry into the case,” said the Minister, who visited the parents of student Dhanush, who was killed in Tiruvottiyur, Chennai, recently. He said the government was considering the request to allot a space to construct a cemetery for Dhanush.

Anti-Narcotics Task Force

Mr. Arjuna said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government was committed to eradicating drug culture in Tamil Nadu and had already formed the Anti-Narcotics Task Force with a budget of ₹264 crore. A total of 65 units had been formed across the State. “These are the reports of the police under the DMK and were not prepared by the TVK. They were prepared by the DGP and SPs who served when (former CM) Mr. M.K. Stalin was holding the Home portfolio. The FIR was filed against the DMK man during the DMK rule. It was also done after pressure from the public,” he said.

Mr. Udhayanidhi said no Minister had given him a proper reply and instead, they were blaming only the previous DMK regime. “The Minister showed a photograph and said an FIR had been filed. This goes to show that we had taken action. Why have you not taken action?” he asked.

Published - August 17, 2026 03:38 pm IST