DMK leader TKS Elangovan has backed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s sharp criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the tragic Karur stampede. Elangovan accused the BJP of exploiting the incident for political gain, especially by rushing a fact-finding team of MPs to the site.
Speaking in New Delhi, Elangovan pointed fingers at the BJP’s motives. He claimed that if the party files a case against popular actor and politician Vijay, it could force Vijay to join the BJP. “They’re just trying to capitalize on this for votes,” Elangovan said.
The Karur stampede on September 27 turned deadly when a massive crowd gathered for Vijay’s political rally at Velusamypuram on the Karur-Erode Highway. At least 41 people died, and over 100 others suffered injuries. The chaos erupted after hours of waiting for Vijay’s delayed arrival.
Elangovan explained the root causes in simple terms. Supporters stood in the scorching sun from 8 a.m., expecting Vijay to speak at noon. But he didn’t show up until 7:30 p.m., with no water or food provided. “People fainted because of the heat and exhaustion—anyone can see that,” he said. He added that no one properly cared for those who collapsed, as the crowd surged forward to catch a glimpse of Vijay when he finally arrived.
Why the delay? Elangovan said Vijay had addressed a gathering in nearby Namakkal earlier that day, a one-hour drive away. He should have reached Karur by early afternoon, but organizers held off because the crowd was thin at first. They then bused in more people from surrounding areas to boost numbers for the roadshow.
Elangovan questioned the BJP’s quick response. “They didn’t bother analyzing what really happened. Just sent a team right away,” he noted. He pointed out that the venue had hosted a roadshow by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami before, fitting up to 20,000 people safely. A narrower spot could have led to even more casualties. For contrast, he highlighted a past DMK event in Karur that drew over 150,000 attendees in an open field—everything ran smoothly without drama.
“Why did Vijay’s TVK party insist on a roadshow anyway?” Elangovan asked, calling the BJP’s actions “special drama,” just as CM Stalin described.
Earlier, at a development project launch in Ramanathapuram district, Stalin fired similar shots at the BJP and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He slammed them for ignoring Tamil Nadu during major past disasters—like floods that hit thousands—but now scrambling to Karur. “When Tamil Nadu faced three big crises, the BJP finance minister didn’t visit or send funds,” Stalin said. “But after this stampede, she rushes in. It’s all about next year’s elections, not real concern.”
Stalin also called out the BJP’s selective inquiries. The party skipped fact-finding teams for the Manipur riots, Gujarat incidents, or Kumbh Mela deaths, he noted. “They survive by sucking someone else’s blood,” Stalin added, echoing broader frustrations with the central government’s handling of Tamil Nadu issues.
The Karur stampede has sparked heated political debates across Tamil Nadu, highlighting tensions between regional parties like DMK and national players like BJP ahead of polls.
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