What stopped Vijay from staying back, personally consoling grieving families, asks Nainar

CHENNAI: BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Sunday came down heavily on actor-politician Vijay over the tragic stampede in Karur that claimed several innocent lives, urging the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the incident and ensure justice for the victims.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the injured patients at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Karur, along with senior BJP leaders Pon Radhakrishnan and Vanathi Srinivasan, Nainar Nagenthran questioned Vijay's leadership credentials in the wake of the calamity.

"How can Vijay call himself a leader when so many innocent lives have been lost? Everyone is conducting inquiries and offering condolences from afar. Vijay should have stayed back in Karur and personally consoled the grieving families. No amount of monetary compensation — not even Rs 20 lakh — can bring back a life. The least he could do is meet the bereaved in person," Nagenthran said.

He further alleged that there were mysterious circumstances surrounding the tragedy and sought a comprehensive judicial probe. "The Supreme Court must take up the matter suo motu and investigate whether there was any conspiracy. Was this an orchestrated act by the ruling party? There were three instances of power cuts, and the microphone connection was allegedly tampered with during Vijay's address. The absence of proper police security is the primary reason for this unfortunate incident," he charged.

Meanwhile, BJP state spokesperson ANS Prasad demanded a public apology from Vijay, holding him morally accountable for the chaos that led to the stampede. He also urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to resign from the Home portfolio, arguing that a new Home Minister should be appointed to facilitate a transparent and impartial inquiry into the mishap.