Vijay ready to run: TVK's Aadhav Arjuna raises concerns over Tamil Nadu police SOPs for public meetings

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 9 (ANI): Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay is ready to make his political presence felt on the ground, the party's General Secretary Aadhav Arjuna said on Monday, asserting that the leader is prepared for extensive public outreach and direct engagement with voters across Tamil Nadu, which is heading into Assembly polls this year.
Addressing a press conference in Chennai, Arjuna said, "Our leader Vijay is ready to run. He is ready to be on the ground and connect with people." However, he raised concerns about police Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for public meetings. "According to police SOPs, party organisers are responsible for public safety. But every district has armed police, whose responsibility is also to ensure people's safety," Arjuna said.
Stating that TVK is fully prepared to cooperate with the police, he said, "Police have control over roads and security arrangements. We have already seen big losses earlier, and we are keen to ensure people's safety. With police support alone, we can conduct campaigns safely."
Referring to recent permission issues, he said TVK had sought permission for a meeting in Salem. "Police told us that if the crowd exceeds 50,000, they need 40 days' time. If the crowd is below 5,000, permission will be given immediately. We clearly stated that we would conduct the meeting with 4,000 people," he added.
While police support was provided in Erode, he alleged that similar cooperation was not extended in Karur, where the party is still awaiting permission. "We are still waiting for police permission. If permission is granted, Vijay will campaign every day," Arjuna said.
Forty one people lost their lives in a stampede that took place in September last year during a massive gathering organised by the TVK to welcome actor-turned-politician and the party's founder, Vijay.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Chief had last week called on party cadres to work actively to ensure victory for the 'Whistle' symbol, asserting that only the TVK party, the "pure force," can defeat the "evil and corrupt" forces in Tamil Nadu politics. Further, addressing election dynamics, Vijay said a multi-cornered contest may emerge, including a BJP alliance. However, he insisted that the people's support is key to defeating the DMK.
Meanwhile, in today's press conference in Chennai, TVK General Secretary Arjuna launched a sharp attack on the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu, accusing it of failures in employment generation, women's safety, drug control, financial management and transparency in public examinations. Raising concerns over the TNPSC examination process, Arjuna demanded justice over what he termed as "confusion and lack of clarity" and called for a White Paper to be presented in the upcoming Assembly session.
Referring to DMK's Election Manifesto Promise, he said the party had promised to create five and a half lakh jobs every year. "By now, nearly 28 lakh youths should have been provided employment. The DMK must clarify how many have actually received jobs so far," he said, demanding a detailed White Paper on employment generation.
Questioning the law and order situation, Arjuna said women's safety in Tamil Nadu has become a serious concern. He alleged that alcohol and ganja usage have increased sharply across the state. Recalling pre-election promises, he said, "Before coming to power, Chief Minister MK Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin wore black shirts and promised total prohibition. That promise has not been fulfilled."
He alleged that ganja sales are rampant in Tamil Nadu, including in schools, colleges and even near TASMAC outlets. "Ganja sales in Tamil Nadu have crossed Rs 60,000 crore," he claimed. While pointing out that a few actors had been arrested in drug-related cases, Arjuna alleged that the real networks behind ganja trafficking were yet to be arrested. He further claimed that during elections, they will use the money for it.
Making serious allegations, he said ganja sales were taking place with the involvement of MLAs and MPs, and that crores of rupees collected through the drug trade were being diverted for election purposes.
Further taking a swipe at AIADMK, Arjuna said the party has failed to function as an effective opposition party. "As AIADMK is not discharging its opposition role properly, TVK is playing that role. The real contest in Tamil Nadu is between TVK and DMK, and this will be reflected in the elections," he said.
Raising concerns over the state's finances, he alleged that Tamil Nadu's debt has more than doubled under the DMK regime. "In 2021, before the DMK came to power, the state debt stood at Rs 4.5 lakh crore. Today it is nearing Rs 10 lakh crore. The exact figure will be known in the upcoming budget session," he said.
"Is this the Dravidian Model or a Debt Model?" Arjuna asked, questioning the governance model of the ruling party. (ANI)