Chennai, Nov 23 (LatestNewsX) – Vijay, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief, stepped back into a public setting for the first time since the tragic Karur stampede, this time speaking at a strictly monitored indoor gathering close to Kancheepuram on Sunday.
The actor‑turned‑politician, who had avoided crowds after 41 people lost their lives at his Karur rally, used the event to issue a pointed critique of the ruling DMK while outlining his party’s welfare‑focused platform.
TVK had scheduled a launch of Vijay’s campaign in Salem on Dec 4, after he had met with the families of the Karur casualties and invited them to a private condolence visit in Mamallapuram. However, police advice citing the Karthika Deepam festival and other logistics led to the postponement of the rally. Instead, the party held a “People’s Meeting” indoors at a private engineering college in Sunguvarchatram, allowing only 2,000 participants from the Kancheepuram district, each required to present a QR‑coded pass.
The party clarified that the event was not a public rally but a controlled indoor dialogue.
During the address, Vijay repeatedly referenced C.N. Annadurai and MGR, claiming that his political path was inspired by their legacies. “Annaiyar was born in this very district. MGR kept him on the party flag because he believed in his vision. But what are those who inherited his party doing today?” he asked.
He said the ruling party’s hostility toward TVK would not deter him. “Personally, I have no enmity towards anyone. They may hate me, but that does not matter. But if they come to power by lying and pretending to be doing good, how can we stay silent? We will question them,” he stated.
Vijay drew a symbolic link to Kancheepuram by recalling his first field visit in Parandur during the anti‑airport protests. “With pain in my heart, I stand today in Anna’s birthplace,” he said, adding that his entry into politics had a single motive—“to work for the welfare of all Tamil people.”
He criticised the Chief Minister for questioning TVK’s “policy clarity”. “Did we not have a policy when we demanded a caste census? When we opposed CAA? When we asked to move education to the State List? When we demanded equal opportunities?” he challenged.
Vijay also launched a fresh attack on the alleged large‑scale sand mining in the Palar River. “Palar is the lifeline of Kancheepuram. But the rulers who swear by Periyar and Anna have looted the river. They illegally extracted 22.7 lakh units of sand—worth Rs 4,730 crore. This is in court records and with the Enforcement Directorate,” he claimed.
He highlighted how handloom weavers still earn only Rs 500 in wages despite Kancheepuram’s global reputation, drawing a parallel between their plight and the suffering of Delta farmers during recent rains.
Vijay also criticized the administration for failing to modernize the decades‑old Kancheepuram bus stand. “They say there is a court case. But can’t they build another bus stand elsewhere?” he asked, urging the construction of a check dam near Avalur lake to meet local water needs.
Reiterating his support for Parandur farmers protesting the proposed airport, he pledged, “We will stand with them. The government cannot escape this issue.”
He then outlined key welfare commitments that TVK would include in its election manifesto: housing for all families, a motorcycle for every household, financial avenues for purchasing cars, improved public hospitals, and inclusive policymaking that incorporates inputs from fishermen, weavers, teachers, and government employees.
“We will ensure strict law and order and protect women,” he assured. Concluding on a confident note, he said, “They target us because they know TVK is rising. When we come to power, the people will welcome us.”
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