# TN Speaker’s anti-abortion stand draws health minister’s rebuff

2026-08-10T14:46:38+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Tamil Nadu Health Minister K G Arunraj has distanced the state government from Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar’s anti-abortion remarks, saying abortion is a medical necessity strictly regulated by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act. The minister said women can legally abort up to 20 weeks and urged the public not to misinterpret the Speaker’s statements, made at a 'March for Life' rally hosted by Catholic groups at Stella Maris College on August 8-9. Prabhakar had declared 'life begins at conception' and quoted a Lancet study to lament abortion numbers, drawing criticism from rights advocates who cite the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling that reproductive autonomy is a fundamental right. CM Vijay, whose TVK party Prabhakar belongs to, has not commented. The Speaker said he will bring the issue to the CM’s notice, noting that Vijay 'will definitely take steps.'

## Coverage

- thenewsminute.com <https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/tn-speakers-anti-abortion-rhetoric-is-more-than-a-personal-opinion>
- thefederal.com <https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/tamil-nadu/abortion-strictly-regulated-by-law-tn-health-minister-253140>

Tags: abortion rights, JCD Prabhakar, MTP Act, reproductive autonomy, Tamil Nadu politics, TVK
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