In Karur Stampede Discussion, Pre-Emptive Strike By MK Stalin, Then A Counter

In its first session after the Karur stampede, in which 41 people were killed, the Tamil Nadu Assembly saw Chief Minister MK Stalin trying to pre-empt attacks from the opposition but ending up facing some anyway. 

Even before the opposition parties could raise the issue under a special provision on Wednesday, the DMK chief sought permission from the Speaker to make a detailed statement on the tragedy.

In his statement, Stalin refrained from naming Vijay but blamed the "indiscipline of the cadre" of the actor-politician's party, the TVK, and said the September 27 rally, where the stampede occurred, was badly organised. 

"The TVK chief arrived seven hours after the announced time. While the party had sought permission for an event between 3 pm and 10 pm, they advertised on social media that it would begin at noon. People began arriving in the morning, leading to overcrowding," he said.

The chief minister added that the police had asked the TVK convoy to halt before the venue, because of overcrowding, and hold the rally there, but the organisers ignored the advice. "As the van moved ahead, defying police instructions, there was overcrowding, breathlessness and fear among women and children," he said.

He also faulted the organisers for failing to make basic arrangements for drinking water, food, and toilets, especially for women.

Dismissing allegations of inadequate police deployment, Stalin said, "A total of 660 police personnel were deployed - 515 from Karur and 91 from other districts. TVK had said they expected 10,000 people but, anticipating a higher turnout, we deployed more police personnel. Ambulances were rushed to the site as soon as police called for help after the stampede."

Stalin said guidelines were being formulated for holding public rallies to avert such tragedies in the future and appealed to all parties to ensure discipline at mass gatherings. "When there is indiscipline, it is the party that suffers. All parties must resolve to prevent such incidents. The government will abide by the Supreme Court's verdict on this," he said.

Tamil Nadu Transport Minister SS Sivasankar said two ambulances were attacked by TVK cadre amid the chaos, which hampered rescue work, and clarified that slippers seen flying in videos were thrown by the crowd "not to attack but to draw attention and ask for water".

EPS' Counter

Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) hit back sharply, calling the tragedy a result of government negligence. "Why did the government grant permission despite knowing the space was too small for the expected crowd? Why was the post-mortem rushed at midnight? There's a big doubt about a conspiracy," EPS alleged.

He also pointed to contradictory statements from senior police officers and questioned why bureaucrats briefed the media while a one-member commission was still probing the tragedy.

This triggered a heated exchange between both sides. 

Minister Durai Murugan asked why the opposition could not "appreciate the chief minister for visiting the site immediately and taking swift measures."

"That's his responsibility," EPS shot back.

Stalin retorted, "By that logic, would you say the same for the Thoothukudi police firing when you were chief minister?" referring to the 2018 incident in which 13 anti-Sterlite protesters were killed.

EPS countered, "Then why didn't you visit Kallakurichi after the illicit liquor tragedy? (in June last year, in which 60 people were killed)"

Stalin replied that ministers had been deputed there immediately.

The chief minister also detailed the state's emergency response, saying 152 doctors and nurses were rushed from neighbouring districts and 400 beds were added to the existing 700 at the Karur Government Hospital.

AIADMK MLAs eventually staged a walkout in protest.

Eye On Assembly Polls

The exchanges underscored the deep political tensions brewing ahead of the Assembly elections next year. Both the AIADMK and BJP - which recently revived their alliance - have been wooing Vijay's TVK, seen as a rising force.

Though Vijay has, in the past, called the BJP his "ideological enemy" and ruled out any alliance, the Karur tragedy has put his party under intense scrutiny. Political observers say the crisis will serve as a litmus test for the TVK, which will now have to decide whether to stay the course or recalibrate its political strategy.