"TVK leaders have to realise, it is their fault": VCK founder Thol Thirumavalavan on Karur stampede

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 30 (ANI): Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder and chief Thol Thirumavalavan on Tuesday asserted that leaders of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) must take responsibility and accept that the unfortunate Karur stampede incident "is their own fault".
"First of all, the frontline leaders of TVK have to realise that it is their own fault. It happened due to a lack of leadership. They are trying to accuse and make allegations against the DMK government," Thirumavalavan told ANI.
He stated that the main reason for the stampede to occur was the delay in the arrival of the actor and TVK chief Vijay, as well as the large number of people in the crowd.
"Vijay delayed as much as he wanted. The crowd of thousands waited for a long time for Vijay, who came in the evening. This is the main cause of this tragedy. TVK leaders have to learn some lessons from this kind of tragedy. It will help them in the future. It will not be helpful for them if they try to make allegations against the CM and the government of Tamil Nadu," Thirumavalavan said.
Speaking about the deleted X post of TVK leader Aadhav Arjun, in which he called for a Nepal and Sri Lanka-like uprising in Tamil Nadu, the VCK founder said, "They will not do any Gen Z revolution in Tamil Nadu."
A case has been registered against senior Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Aadhav Arjun for making a post on X, which now stands deleted, allegedly calling for Nepal and Sri Lanka like uprising in Tamil Nadu against the ruling government.
The screenshot of Arjun's post on X has been circulating on social media despite the post being deleted following backlash. His post comes in the backdrop of the unfortunate September 27 Karur stampede incident that claimed the lives of 41 people.
In his post, the TVK leader urged the youth in Tamil Nadu to "revolt" against authority.
"If you walk on the road, you will be beaten. Arrested for posting comments on social media. If the police have become the servants of the ruling class, the only way to restore order is a youth revolution. Just as in Sri Lanka and Nepal, the youth and the Gen Z generation came together to create a revolution against authority, a youth uprising will occur here too. That uprising is going to be the foundation for regime change and the end of state excess," Arjun, who is the General Secretary - Election Campaign Management of TVK, had posted on X.
According to police, TVK leader Arjun has been booked under sections 192, 196(1)(b), 197(1)(d), 353(1)(b), 353(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Meanwhile, actor and TVK chief Vijay on Tuesday released an emotional statement, his first public reaction following the stampede in Karur that occurred during a party rally on September 27, which claimed 41 lives.
"I have never faced such a painful situation in my life. My heart is aching, I am in deep pain," Vijay said in a self-made video posted on social media, adding that the truth about what transpired on the day of the stampede will come out soon.
"People come to see me in this campaign, the only reason behind it is love and affection. In my life, I have never experienced such pain. I will soon meet the victims," he added.
Earlier, a local court in Tamil Nadu's Karur sent two TVK functionaries to judicial custody until October 14 in connection with the stampede.
Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh said that strict action would be taken against all those found responsible.
"An inquiry commission headed by a retired judge has been formed. If lapses are found, strict action will be taken against those responsible," Mahesh told reporters. (ANI)