Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Karur Visit Live: Came here for people, was blamed for stampede deaths, says Vijay

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay reiterated his opposition to the proposed delimitation exercise, declaring that Tamil Nadu would not accept it irrespective of which government brought it forward.

Addressing a public gathering in Karur, Vijay said no one would be allowed to "take away" the state's rightful place through delimitation. He also took a swipe at the DMK, suggesting that the party's political alignments were evident to the public and challenging it to prove its stand in the upcoming Karur bypoll on June 29.

"Now I am hearing that delimitation will be brought back. No matter who brings it, Tamil Nadu will not accept it. Nobody can take away our place, and we will not allow it," Vijay said. He further urged the DMK to "prove yourselves" in the forthcoming bypoll, using the election as a political challenge to the ruling party.

Calling the Karur stampede an "unforgettable" tragedy, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay said the incident would remain etched in his memory forever. Declaring that "Karur will never leave my heart", he announced that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) would build a memorial in the district to honour the 41 people who lost their lives in the stampede. He said the memorial would serve as a lasting tribute to the victims.

Vijay, while reiterating his support for the families of the Karur stampede victims, also took on the BJP-led Centre over delimitation, saying his government would not support the exercise. He also launched a fresh attack on the DMK during his address.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay said he had attended the Karur rally for the people, not for himself, but was instead blamed for the deaths caused by the stampede. Accusing the DMK of politicising the tragedy, he said he would always choose people over money and claimed the ruling party's "mask" was being ripped apart as its true face was being exposed.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay accused the police of failing to alert him about the swelling crowd at last year's Karur rally, saying the event should have been called off if the situation had become unmanageable. He alleged that police instead "staged a drama" by diverting him from the highway to the venue and questioned who had instructed officers to handle the situation in that manner.

Vijay's meeting with the families of the Karur stampede victims was marked by symbolism, with the Chief Minister dressed in black as a sign of mourning and solidarity. The gesture reflected his tribute to the 41 people who lost their lives at last year's TVK rally and his message of standing with their families in their time of grief.

CPI(M) State Secretary Shanmugam questioned the Tamil Nadu government's decision to provide government jobs to the families of those killed in the Karur stampede, saying such appointments should be governed by a uniform policy rather than case-specific decisions.

He said the 41 victims had attended a TVK campaign event, raising questions about whether the TVK-led government was using its executive powers to grant government jobs because the deceased were associated with the party's programme. Shanmugam also pointed out that the investigation into the stampede is still pending and argued that announcing government jobs while the matter remains under judicial scrutiny could affect the ongoing proceedings.

He maintained that there was a clear distinction between a political party arranging employment for affected families through private organisations and the State Government offering government jobs. CPI(M) urged the government to frame transparent guidelines for compassionate appointments in such cases and keep the present decision in abeyance until a comprehensive policy is put in place.

As Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere at the venue turned electric. Supporters waved TVK flags, chanted slogans and cheered loudly as they welcomed him ahead of his address.

The CPI said it does not oppose humanitarian assistance for the families of those who died in the Karur stampede but urged the Tamil Nadu government to frame clear policy guidelines before offering government jobs on compassionate grounds.

State Secretary Veerapandian said the party supports relief for families affected by tragic incidents but believes government employment should be granted only under a uniform policy. Until such guidelines are put in place, he said, the process of providing government jobs should be kept on hold.

The Madras High Court has suo motu impleaded the Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission and directed the official to submit a report on the guidelines governing compassionate appointments and whether they were followed in the Karur stampede case.

The directions came while hearing a petition filed by Madurai-based lawyer Theeran Thirumurugan, who challenged the TVK government's decision to provide government jobs to the families of the 41 people killed in last year's Karur stampede. The petitioner argued that there is no uniform policy for such appointments and that granting government jobs in one tragedy could raise issues of equality and equal opportunity under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

While allowing the Tamil Nadu government to proceed with compassionate appointments for the families of the 41 Karur stampede victims, the Madras High Court said the appointments would remain temporary until the legal challenge is decided.

"It would be extremely narrow for the court to interfere with a policy decision of the government," the bench observed, adding that the matter would be heard again by the end of the month, before the beneficiaries receive their first salary.

The Madras High Court on Friday allowed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led Tamil Nadu government to go ahead with its decision to provide government jobs to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede last September.

A bench of Justice CV Karthikeyan and Justice R Sakthivel permitted the government to distribute appointment letters at a public function scheduled for 3 pm, but made it clear that the appointments would be temporary and subject to judicial review.

TVK General Secretary and State Minister N Anand said attendance at the programme would be limited to 5,000 people carrying QR code-based entry passes. He urged the public to strictly adhere to the security protocols and guidelines issued by the police.

People lined the streets of Karur to catch a glimpse of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's convoy, while billboards welcoming him were put up across the city. Around 5,000 police personnel were deployed to maintain security during the visit.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is on his first official visit to Karur since assuming office in May. During the visit, he will meet the families of the 41 people who lost their lives in the stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally he attended on September 27, 2025.

Vijay is also scheduled to hand over compassionate appointment orders to eligible family members of the victims before interacting with party workers and members of the public at a Makkal Santhippu (people's meet) programme at a private college ground on the Karur-Salem Highway.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay arrived in Karur to meet the families of those who lost their lives in last year's TVK rally stampede. During the visit, he is set to hand over compassionate appointment orders to eligible family members of the victims.

Vimal, who lost his one-and-a-half-year-old son Dhruvan in the TVK rally stampede, said he had been invited to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during the latter's visit to Karur. He said officials had assured him of a government job on compassionate grounds and that all the required documents had already been submitted to the Taluk Office. Vimal expressed hope that the promised appointment would be provided.

(Source: ANI)