Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian has denied Governor RN Ravi’s allegations that the banned two-finger test was done on minor girls during an investigation into child marriage cases in Chidambaram. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, May 7, he said, “It has already been clarified that the two-finger test was not done. As I have said before, he [RN Ravi], is looking for accusations to make, even though he is unable to get any evidence for his accusations. That is why he has called on a little girl, poor thing, as a witness. His accusation has been denied already with proof.”
Subramanian was responding to the allegations made by Ravi in his interview with the Times of India (TOI), published on May 4. In this interview, Ravi claimed that the banned two-finger test was done on minor girls, reportedly victims of child marriage. He also claimed that the case of child marriage was falsely lodged against two priests of the Chidambaram Natrajar temple out of “vengeance” by Social Welfare Department officials. Ravi further alleged that the minors were forcibly taken to the hospital and made to undergo the two-finger virginity tests. “Some of them tried to commit suicide,” he had said in the TOI interview.
The practice of conducting two-finger or ‘virginity’ tests on rape survivors was banned by the Supreme Court in 2013, which deemed it unconstitutional.
Between September and October of 2022, two Dikshitars - who are priests of Chidambaram Natrajar temple - were arrested by Chidambaram police following complaints of child marriage.
Responding to the Governor’s claims on Sunday, the Minister said, "DGP (Director General of Police) Sylendra Babu has already denied the allegations of the two-finger test being conducted. Still, it is the responsibility of the Health Department to also issue a clarification. It is unbecoming of the responsibility the Governor holds to say that something that did not happen, did happen. Based on his allegations, the NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) sent a letter to the state demanding a response within a week. Medical authorities have investigated the matter in response to the allegations. Also, the medical tests done at the time of the investigation have been reviewed. It is very clear that the two-finger test was not done on the girls.”
Earlier, on May 6, DGP Sylendra Babu had dismissed the allegations that girls studying in Class 6 and 7 were forcefully brought to the hospital and subjected to two-finger virginity tests and some tried to die by suicide, calling it baseless and contrary to the truth.
He further said that the police received complaints of child marriage of a priest’s daughter and other cases in September 2022. “Police investigated the matter and collected evidence. Based on the evidence, All Women Police Station (AWPS) in Chidambaram, booked four cases, under section 366 (a)(procuration of minor girl) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 9 and 10 of the Prevention of Child Marriage Act. In these cases, eight men and three women were arrested," the DGP's statement said. As per the legal counsel's advice, two of the four victims underwent medical tests, but were not subjected to the two-finger tests, he said.
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