'Life begins at conception': Tamil Nadu Speaker sparks row over anti-abortion remarks
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar sparked controversy by stating 'life begins at conception' during an anti-abortion event. State Health Minister K G Arunraj later clarified that abortion remains a legal medical necessity regulated under the MTP Act.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between personal religious/political views of public officials and established state health policies regarding reproductive rights.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar attended the 5th National March for Life as the chief guest on August 8 and 9.During the gathering, which protested abortion rights and advocated for the protection of unborn life, he reportedly said that “life begins at conception," as cited by PTI.The event, hosted by the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore at Stella Maris College, drew more than 5,000 participants. The gathering also explicitly criticised the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.Prabhakar’s remarks echoed global anti-abortion sentiments expressed at the event, which focused on opposing abortion rights and advocating for the protection of unborn life.The remarks prompted state Health Minister K G Arunraj to clarify on Monday that abortions can be a medical necessity and are strictly regulated under national law.Responding to reporters during a press conference to announce the MBBS/BDS rank list…
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