A portrait of Vijay lies on a metal fencing after the stampede.
Credit: PTI Photo
Chennai: Breaking his silence, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay on Tuesday absolved himself and his party of responsibility for the stampede that killed 41 people in Karur, saying he did nothing wrong other than speaking to people from the designated point.
In a four-minute video posted on his social media pages, Vijay also alleged a conspiracy behind the stampede and dared Chief Minister M K Stalin to take action against him rather than arrest his fans and cadres.
He questioned why such a stampede did not occur in the four districts where he campaigned over the past two weeks and why this unfortunate incident happened only in Karur, lending support to theories by his supporters that the DMK could be behind it.
Vijay’s statement, in which he neither apologised for the incident nor answered police questions regarding his “deliberate delayed arrival” at the venue, is likely to further energize his supporters, who have blamed the Tamil Nadu government led by the DMK for the tragedy.
“CM sir, if you want to take revenge, please do it with me. Please spare my supporters and fans. I will be here at home or at the office. Do whatever you want to do with me,” Vijay said, indirectly daring Stalin to arrest him. The DMK administration has been cautious in not naming Vijay in the FIR or directly blaming him for the incident over the past three days.
“We did no wrong other than speaking from the designated place,” he said, alleging that FIRs have been lodged against his fans and supporters. He also wished a speedy recovery for those injured in the stampede and assured that TVK’s political journey will continue firmly.
“I also know that no matter what they say, it will not solve anything. The people receiving treatment in hospitals should get well soon. I will meet all of you as soon as possible,” he added.
In his video, Vijay did not address several police questions about his delayed arrival at the venue or why his party mobilised over 27,000 people despite seeking permission for only 10,000 attendees.
“I have never faced such a painful situation in my life before,” Vijay said in the video, delivering his message with cinematic-style long pauses.
He also thanked political leaders from across the spectrum who supported him during this incident – including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, and former BJP chief K Annamalai, who said the blame should not fall on Vijay alone.
“People are watching everything. When the people of Karur themselves started revealing the truth, I felt like God himself had come out to speak the truth,” he said, referring to media interviews of citizens from the textile town.
The day also saw a delegation of BJP MPs visiting Karur for a fact finding mission.