Actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay on Monday attacked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin over last year’s Karur stampede incident at a TVK rally, and criticized the CM’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party ahead of the state elections scheduled later this year.
More than 40 people were killed and around 100 others injured when a stampede broke out at a rally of Vijay’s TVK channel in Karur last year in September. The incident occurred when the crowd advanced to meet him, resulting in the death of several people.
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Vijay attacks Stalin over Karur stampede
Speaking at a meeting of party functionaries in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, Vijay referred to Stalin’s “remark” that he had no political enemies and everyone was his friends. The Prime Minister was questioned for “blaming him” for the stampede.
“When Mr. Stalin was asked about his political enemies, he said they were all my friends. If we were friends, why did you blame me for the Karur (stampede) incident,” he said.
“Why should we refuse venue and permission for TVK (rallies and events), if we are friends… You have done everything and blamed us for the Karur tragedy,” he added.
The head of TVK claimed that Stalin’s real friends were “bribery, corruption and the pursuit of political gain.”
He also accused the chief minister of giving false assurances to the public and challenged the ruling party’s claims that it had turned Tamil Nadu into a “star state”.
Vijay, who has intensified his criticism of the DMK and Stalin in particular, challenged the Prime Minister to reveal his assets and disclose his financial status before entering politics.
“What is the source? Is it your hard-earned money or was it collected after you came to power? Can you announce it publicly?” the actor asked the Prime Minister, adding that if he spoke about corruption, corrupt elements would “throw mud on us”.
He said the Assembly elections are a “war between Vijay and Stalin”, reiterating his claim that TVK is a “pure power” and once again described the DMK as an “evil force”.
DMK government blames Vijay for Karur stampede
Shortly after the incident in September, Rep. A. DMK’s Raja urged Vijay Karur to leave after the stampede and said that “escape means someone has a guilty conscience.”
Party MP Kanimozhi also criticized Vijay and TVK staff, asking them to “take some responsibility” for the tragedy.
The MK Stalin-led government also released purported videos which it said showed rules being violated and TVK cadres climbing to the roof in Namakkal.
With input from agencies
