Published Jul 10, 2026 | 2:36 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 10, 2026 | 2:36 PM
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay addresses the the public meeting in Karur.
Synopsis: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay used his first visit to Karur since the 2025 stampede that killed 41 people to deny responsibility for the tragedy, alleging that the previous DMK government and the police were behind a political conspiracy even as a CBI probe into the tragedy continues. He also announced that the TVK would build a memorial for the victims, defended his government’s performance during its first 55 days in office.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay on Friday, 10 July, addressed a party-organised public meeting in Karur, his first visit to the district since the September 2025 crowd crush that claimed 41 lives.
Later in the day, he is scheduled to hand over government job appointment orders to the next of kin of the victims, distribute welfare assistance and launch a series of development initiatives.
With a CBI probe into the stampede underway, Vijay used the public meeting to mount his strongest defence yet, alleging that the previous DMK government and the police had orchestrated a “political conspiracy” behind the tragedy. He also announced that the TVK would build a memorial in Karur to commemorate those who lost their lives in the stampede.
Recalling the events leading up to the tragedy, Vijay said police in Perambalur had earlier warned his team about excessive crowds, prompting him to cancel a scheduled meeting there. However, he alleged that no such warning was given in Karur despite authorities allegedly knowing that the crowd had become uncontrollable.
“The police had every authority to stop or cancel the meeting. Instead, they escorted us from the highway to the venue. I even thanked them then because I believed they were helping us. Only later did I realise it was all a drama,” Vijay said.
He questioned who instructed the police to proceed with the meeting and alleged that pressure had been exerted to allow the event to continue.
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Speaking emotionally about the stampede, Vijay said he continued to carry the pain of losing supporters, including children and families who had attended the event.
“They mocked me while I was grieving. They tried to place the blame on me,” he said.
Responding to criticism that he had “run away” after the incident, Vijay said he had instead been at home trying to understand what had happened and why.
He also questioned whether adequate police arrangements had been made for the event and referred to statements made by police officials after the tragedy regarding the venue selection.
Vijay’s remarks come at a time when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the circumstances surrounding the Karur stampede. Without directly referring to the ongoing investigation, he repeatedly alleged that the incident was not merely an administrative failure but part of a larger political conspiracy engineered under the previous DMK government.
He accused former Chief Minister MK Stalin of attempting to shift responsibility onto him through statements made in the Assembly and said the people had already delivered a “fitting reply” in the 2026 Assembly election.
He further said the opposition should continue to face electoral defeats so severe that they would be unable to recover politically.
One of the key announcements during the meeting was Vijay’s decision to build a memorial in Karur through the TVK in memory of those who died in the stampede.
He said the memorial would ensure that future generations remembered what he described as the “Karur political conspiracy” and would serve as a reminder that such political conspiracies should never be repeated.
It is noteworthy that even after more than 50 people lost their lives in the 1992 Mahamagam stampede in Kumbakonam, no memorial was erected in the town by the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to commemorate the victims.
Against this backdrop, Vijay’s announcement to establish a memorial has sparked political debate and drawn significant attention in Tamil Nadu’s political circles.
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Moving away from the stampede, Vijay defended his government’s performance during its first 50 to 55 days in office.
He claimed his administration had ended bribery in government offices, implemented long-pending promotions in the Electricity Department and begun cancelling allegedly inflated infrastructure contracts approved by the previous government.
“People tell me there is no corruption, no bribery and government work is happening quickly,” he said.
He also highlighted an ₹18,000 crore agreement with Larsen & Toubro, claiming it would create more than 8,000 jobs, announced welfare initiatives for farmers and women, and said a new “Thaai Maaman Thanga Modhiram” scheme would be launched on CN Annadurai’s birth anniversary, which falls on 17 September.
Vijay devoted a significant portion of his speech to attacking the DMK, accusing the previous government of widespread corruption, administrative failure and attempting to evade accountability.
He alleged that both the DMK and AIADMK were “partners in crime” rather than political rivals, claiming that both parties had looted public money across departments and treated governance as a means to build party finances.
Referring to the white paper released by his government on Tamil Nadu’s finances, Vijay said the previous administration had left behind an empty treasury.
“They kept pouring water into a vessel full of holes. The vessel never filled up, and nobody even knows where the water went,” he said, using the analogy to describe the state’s finances under the previous regime.
He accused the opposition of repeatedly demanding debates in the Assembly but walking out whenever uncomfortable questions were raised.
“They ask me to speak. But when I speak, they get up and leave. Soon, we may have to shut all the Assembly doors before speaking,” he remarked.
Vijay also alleged that several infrastructure contracts awarded during the previous regime were heavily inflated. Citing a bridge project in Chennai, he claimed tenders had been floated at nearly twice the required cost and said his government was now cancelling such contracts after scrutiny.
“There are many such scams that are now coming to light,” he alleged.
On the Mekedatu dam dispute, Vijay questioned why the previous DMK government had failed to effectively defend Tamil Nadu before the Supreme Court when the state’s petition was dismissed.
“They keep asking why I do not speak on certain issues. Why didn’t they argue properly when they were in power?” he asked.
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Vijay also dismissed criticism directed at his government after the change in regime, saying the DMK had labelled his administration a “sofa government” and a “washing machine.”
“They call us a sofa and a washing machine. But they are the real vending machine for political business,” he said.
Taking aim at senior DMK leaders, Vijay alleged that corruption under the previous government had forced a leader from Karur to go into hiding, in an apparent reference to former minister V Senthil Balaji.
He also made an apparent reference to former minister EV Velu, alleging that he had fled abroad, before joking that he was not referring to former Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“There is still much more to uncover. We do not know how many more people will be caught as investigations continue,” he said.
Vijay further claimed that his government had ended bribery in government offices and urged citizens not to pay bribes if officials demanded money.
“If anyone asks you for a bribe, tell them you will not pay. I am with you,” he said.
He also claimed that his government had ended the culture of cash-for-votes in elections, arguing that it no longer needed “horse-trading” because it enjoyed the people’s support.
Vijay appealed to voters to hand the DMK a decisive defeat in the upcoming by-election, saying the verdict delivered by the people in the 2026 Assembly election should continue in future elections as well.
