Chennai: AIADMK legislators arrived at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Thursday wearing badges that read “Save the Kidneys”, in protest against the state government’s alleged inaction over the recent kidney trade racket that has shocked the state.
The symbolic protest took place on the third day of the Assembly session, which began on October 14. Wearing white badges pinned to their shirts, the opposition MLAs said the gesture was meant to condemn what they called the DMK government’s “irresponsible and delayed” response to the organ trade case that has raised serious ethical and legal concerns.
“This is not a small issue -- poor and vulnerable workers were exploited, and their organs were illegally removed. Yet the government remains silent,” an AIADMK member told reporters outside the Assembly, adding that the party was demanding justice and a transparent investigation.
The demonstration followed a similar protest on Wednesday, when AIADMK MLAs entered the House wearing black bands to express their anger over both the Karur stampede tragedy and the alleged kidney theft case. The opposition has accused the ruling party of “criminal negligence” in dealing with the two incidents.
The kidney racket was first exposed in Namakkal district, where brokers allegedly targeted impoverished daily-wage workers, coercing or misleading them into selling their kidneys illegally. Investigations have revealed that two private hospitals, one in Tiruchirappalli and another in Perambalur, were reportedly involved in the illicit operations.
The controversy deepened after opposition members claimed that one of the hospitals was owned by a person with close links to the ruling DMK, suggesting that the government’s reluctance to act decisively was politically motivated.
Amid growing public outrage, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by South Zone Inspector General of Police Prem Anand Sinha to conduct a detailed probe. The court also directed that the team submit regular updates on the progress of the investigation.
The AIADMK has demanded that the state government ensure quick arrests, protection for the victims, and strict action against officials who may have ignored early complaints about the illegal organ trade.