Karur stampede rocks Tamil Nadu Assembly as AIADMK stages walkout

Chennai: The September 27 Karur stampede, which claimed 41 lives at actor-politician Vijay’s TVK rally, rocked the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday with the main Opposition AIADMK members staging a walkout.

Taking exception, Chief Minister MK Stain said the AIADMK’s stance on Karur stampede indicated that the party was desperate to rope in the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam into their combine. “People will give a fitting reply to whichever alliance you form for the Assembly election (next year),” he said.

CM also accused that the commotion in the house was planned by AIADMK.

Giving a detailed explanation on the steps the state government took in rescuing and extending medical assistance to the stampede victims, the Chief Minister said “Vijay (TVK founder) came seven hours late for the meeting. The organisers did not make any arrangements to provide water, food, or other basic amenities for the waiting crowd nor did they heed to the police request to have his (Vijay’s) address advanced to enable the people to disperse,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking on the tragic incident Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami said the deaths would not have occurred had the police provided sufficient protection at the venue. “Why was the TVK granted permission at a place where the police had earlier denied?” he asked.

To this, the Chief Minister replied, “You seem to be desperately searching for a new ally. I had already appealed to everyone not to politicise the stampede.”

Palaniswami made a remark which Speaker M Appavu expunged. Immediately, the AIADMK members stood up and shouted, and they were met with matching voices from the DMK.