Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay visited Karur on Friday and addressed the controversy surrounding last year’s deadly stampede. He rejected claims that his party caused the tragedy and questioned the police crowd management arrangements. The stampede occurred during his TVK election rally at Velusamypuram, where thousands of supporters gathered. The incident killed 41 people, including children and young fans, while injuring more than 100 others. The Central Bureau of Investigation currently investigates the case. Vijay said the tragedy remained painful and continued affecting him deeply. He expressed sorrow while meeting victims’ families and distributing appointment letters. He said the victims’ memories would remain forever in his heart. Vijay promised to build a memorial in Karur for those who lost their lives.
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Vijay Defends Role in Karur Stampede Tragedy
Vijay strongly defended his actions during his first Karur visit as Chief Minister. He said he trusted the police to manage the crowd during the rally. However, he claimed authorities later blamed him for the tragedy. Vijay questioned whether officials provided proper security arrangements before the incident occurred. He said police should have informed his team about the worsening situation. According to him, timely communication could have prevented the disaster. He accused authorities of creating confusion instead of accepting responsibility. Vijay stated that his party did not cause the deaths during the stampede. He demanded accountability from those responsible for maintaining public safety. He emphasized that crowd control remained a key duty of law enforcement agencies.
The Chief Minister remembered the victims with emotional words during his Karur speech. Wearing black clothes, Vijay highlighted the pain caused by the tragedy. He said families lost their loved ones during the unfortunate incident. He described the stampede as a deeply distressing event for everyone. Vijay announced that TVK would construct a memorial for the victims. He said Karur would always hold a special place in his heart. The Chief Minister also thanked supporters who stood with his party. He promised to continue working for affected families. Vijay said his government would respect the memories of those who died. He assured people that the victims would never be forgotten.
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TVK Chief Expresses Grief and Announces Memorial
Vijay launched a strong political attack against the previous DMK government. He accused the party of attempting to stop him from meeting victims’ families. His remarks followed the DMK’s Supreme Court petition regarding his Karur visit. The party sought restrictions over concerns about influencing witnesses in the stampede case. However, DMK later withdrew the petition after criticism from the court. Vijay said the opposition no longer controlled Tamil Nadu’s administration. He claimed TVK had replaced the DMK in political power. He also accused the previous government of corruption across different departments. Vijay alleged that inflated tenders affected public projects during the DMK’s rule.
Vijay also focused on the upcoming Karur Assembly bypoll during his speech. He urged voters to send a strong message against the DMK. The bypoll became necessary after former AIADMK minister MR Vijayabhaskar resigned as MLA. Vijayabhaskar later joined Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party. Vijay asked voters to support his party’s political direction. He said TVK would continue challenging opposition attempts against its government. The Chief Minister promised better governance and stronger public service delivery. He said his administration would protect people’s interests. Vijay’s Karur visit marked an important political moment after the stampede controversy. He used the occasion to defend his party and outline his future political plans.
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