'Publicity sarkar has become sorry model sarkar': TVK chief Vijay slams DMK over custodial deaths

Chennai: Founder-chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, actor-politician Vijay on Sunday slammed the DMK regime over "custodial deaths" and alleged the "empty, publicity-model DMK sarkar has now got transformed into a sorry model sarkar." Addressing TVK's protest rally here, Vijay said the custodial torture victim Ajith Kumar hailed from an ordinary family and the chief minister apologised to the victim's family and it is appropriate.

Clad in black, Vijay held a placard that read, "Sorry Vendam, Needhi Vendum (We want justice, not sorry)."

The TVK chief asked whether "Stalin said sorry" to the families of all the 24 victims of alleged custodial torture (which resulted in deaths) during the DMK regime, since 2021.

"Please say sorry to them all; also, did you give solatium to the families of all the 24 victims? Please provide solatium to them as well," he said.

When the then AIADMK regime transferred the Sathankulam case (in which P Jeyaraj and his son J Benniks were allegedly tortured to death by police in 2020), Stalin had said that it was an insult to Tamil Nadu police, Vijay claimed.

The fledgling party's chief wondered if the DMK government, which days ago transferred the Ajith Kumar custodial death case to the CBI, has not caused the same insult and added that both instances were only the same.

Further, Vijay asked, "Why are you hiding behind the CBI?", which happens to be only the puppet of the RSS and the BJP. It was because his party, the TVK has sought a court-monitored probe by a special investigation team and "fearing" such a move, the DMK regime is hiding behind the union government.

The court has questioned the state government on several cases of "atrocities", including Anna varsity girl student sexual assault and Ajith Kumar custodial torture.

"If the court has to intervene and ask questions for everything, then why are you there? what is the purpose of the government? And the office of the chief minister? Whatever may be the questions, there are not going to be any answers. The government may provide answers only if it had answers and it does not have any answers in this regard, he alleged.

"The maximum reply from you is sorry and the empty, publicity-model DMK sarkar has now got transformed into a sorry model sarkar," he alleged, mocking at the DMK government.

Before the end of the "inept DMK government's tenure," it has to set right the law and order situation. Else, by joining forces with the people, "we will make you do it," Vijay said.

Sarkar (government) is a popular Vijay-starrer movie that was released in 2018.