CM Vijay blames police for Karur stampede; DMK calls remarks irresponsible

Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.Even as the probe into the Karur stampede is ongoing, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday, July 10, claimed that the tragedy could have been averted if the police had alerted him. The Chief Minister blamed the police for the stampede in which 41 people, including nine children, died.The Chief Minister made these remarks while addressing a gathering at Atlas Kalaiarangam in Karur district. This was his first visit to the district since the tragedy, which occurred on September 27, 2025, during his election rally.Vijay said the Karur tragedy would remain one of the deepest scars of his political life.The Chief Minister said that his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), would build a memorial for the victims as a reminder that such a tragedy should never recur.“However high a person may rise in life, there will always be one scar that remains forever. The Karur stampede is that scar for me. We are living with the pain of losing our brothers, sisters, and even children who smiled whenever they saw my films or songs on television,” he said.“To ensure that such political circumstances never arise again, our TVK party will establish a memorial for those who lost their lives,” he added.Recalling the events leading up to the stampede, Vijay questioned the police’s handling of crowd management on the day of the rally.He said that during one leg of his election campaign, the police had requested that he not proceed to Perambalur because of the heavy crowds.“Similarly, when I was travelling from Namakkal to Karur, they could have alerted us if there was a problem. They had the power to cancel the meeting if they wanted. They did not even need our permission. Instead, the police escorted us from the highway to the venue, and I trusted them. I never imagined such a tragedy would happen after thanking the police on stage,” he said.Referring to allegations that he had failed to meet the victims immediately after the tragedy, Vijay said he continued to live with the grief of losing the victims while his political opponents accused him of “running away and hiding.”Vijay also accused the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of politicising the tragedy in the Assembly.“They turned the issue against us in the Assembly and tried to gain political mileage. You (the people) have already given them a fitting reply in the elections. But that alone is not enough. The people should continue to give such a reply so that they can never rise again,” he said.The Chief Minister defended his government’s performance over the past few months, claiming that corruption had been eliminated from government offices.“They used to say corruption could never be eradicated. Today, after the TVK government came to power, not a paisa is taken as a bribe. Government offices function quickly, and people are treated with respect. Hearing people say there is no corruption or bribery gives me immense happiness,” he said.Taking aim at the Opposition, Vijay said those who had challenged him to speak were now unwilling to face his criticism.“They asked me to open my mouth. But when I started speaking, they ran away. What you have seen so far is only a sample. You will see our government’s transformation in the coming days,” he said.Later in the day, Vijay is scheduled to hand over appointment orders to 32 members of the victims’ families, providing them employment on compassionate grounds.However, the move has drawn criticism from both Opposition parties and some of the TVK government’s allies.Hours before the appointments were made, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court allowed the state government to proceed with issuing the appointment orders but ruled that the appointments would remain temporary and subject to judicial review.Meanwhile, reacting to the Chief Minister’s speech, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said Vijay’s remarks were false and accused him of trying to shift responsibility for the tragedy.“A Chief Minister cannot tell a bigger lie than this. It was Vijay’s delayed arrival in Karur that led to the loss of lives. It was the DMK government that admitted the injured to hospitals and saved many lives,” he said.“Around 100 people fainted due to the heat and dehydration, and the DMK government ensured that nearly 60 of them were saved,” he added.DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi urged the Chief Minister to refrain from commenting, noting that the matter is still under investigation.“Chief Minister Vijay should speak with a sense of responsibility on the Karur issue. It would be better not to comment on a matter that is still under investigation. The people know who stood with them in Karur and who left them behind,” she said.