Chennai Mayor R. Priya on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner about social media posts that allegedly depicted her in an inappropriate and obscene manner. Alleging inaction on the part of the police on her earlier complaints, she said she had filed a fresh complaint.

Ms. Priya said that though she was answerable to the public as the Mayor and every citizen had the right to criticise her decision and her administration, such posts were deliberate acts of sexual humiliation aimed at degrading her as a woman and to reduce a holder of public office to an object of vulgar ridicule.

“I am a Dalit woman. An obscene and degrading attack on a Dalit woman who holds the highest civic office in the capital of Tamil Nadu cannot be viewed in isolation,” Ms. Priya said.

The Mayor further said that the posts were offences under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Information Technology Act, 2000, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 1998 and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

In a video posted on social media, Ms. Priya said whenever she criticised the administrative inefficiency of the TVK government, social media portrayed her in bad light.

Though she had flagged this issue on multiple occasions, the Chief Minister maintained “silence”. Ms. Priya sought to know what action would be taken in this regard.