Selvaperunthagai appeals to leaders not to politicise Karur stampede deaths

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai on Monday urged all political leaders to stop using the Karur stampede deaths for political gain and instead focus on helping the affected families.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport, he said it was painful to see some leaders making “cheap political comments” when many families were mourning. “When 41 people have died, how can anyone think of politics? This is a time of grief, not blame,” he said.

Selvaperunthagai praised Chief Minister MK Stalin for acting quickly. “The Chief Minister moved like lightning. He set up a commission of inquiry, arranged relief and brought in doctors from several districts. This quick action prevented more deaths,” he said. Asked about actor Vijay’s announcement of Rs 20 lakh compensation for each bereaved family, he said, “That is his choice. There is nothing for us to comment on.”

He dismissed former BJP state chief K Annamalai’s charge of political interference, saying the inquiry commission would find the truth. “Every commission submits an interim report. Let us wait for the facts before making charges,” he said.

On criticism of the inquiry head, retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan, he noted that the AIADMK government had trusted her to lead the 2018 Thoothukudi police firing inquiry: “If they believed her then, they should not question her now.”