Lessons from Karur tragedy: Vijay adopts low-key approach at Puducherry public meeting

In a marked departure from his previous high-energy campaigns, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor-turned-politician Vijay addressed a tightly controlled public meeting in Puducherry on Tuesday (December 9), his first outdoor political event since the tragic stampede in Karur on September 27 that claimed 41 lives.

Learning from the Karur disaster, where overcrowding and poor crowd management led to chaos, Vijay ensured a subdued and security-focused approach. He travelled by car from Chennai to the Uppalam Expo Ground, avoiding any roadshow or rally on his campaign vehicle. No fanfare, no processions, a complete contrast to earlier TVK events that drew massive, uncontrolled crowds.

Vijay’s just 13-minute speech

The Puducherry Police enforced strict measures, attendance capped at 5,000, entry only via QR-coded passes issued by TVK (restricted to local residents), and heavy deployment of over 800 personnel. Children, elderly persons, pregnant women, and those with infants were barred from attending. Even supporters were urged not to follow Vijay's convoy.

Also read: Vijay hits out at DMK, Centre; says TN must learn from ‘impartial’ Puducherry govt

TVK leaders Aadhav Arjuna and Bussy Anand spoke ahead of Vijay, joining him in thanking the Puducherry government and Chief Minister N Rangasamy for the security arrangements. They contrasted this with Tamil Nadu's handling of events, stating that the DMK government should observe and learn from Puducherry's approach.

Vijay's speech lasted just 13 minutes. He sharply criticised the BJP-led Union government and the DMK in Tamil Nadu but refrained from any direct attack on the ruling NR Congress in Puducherry, which is in coalition with the BJP.

"I sincerely thank the Puducherry government and the Chief Minister from the bottom of my heart for these excellent security measures. The Puducherry government is not like the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, they have provided security without any discrimination. The DMK government in Tamil Nadu should learn from this, but they won’t learn on their own. In the upcoming elections, the people will teach them a lesson," said Vijay.

"Only for the Centre, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are separate, for us, the people, we are together," he added.

DMK criticises TVK chief

He accused the Centre of repeatedly denying full statehood to Puducherry despite demands, denying funds, development, and basic facilities like a proper ration system. Vijay urged people not to trust the DMK, alleging it deceives voters, and vowed that TVK's flag would fly high in the Union Territory, invoking MGR's (MG Ramachandran) historical ties with Puducherry. The event concluded at noon.

Also read: Praveen Chakravarty-Vijay meeting: TN Congress files complaint with AICC

DMK senior spokesperson TKS Elangovan criticised Vijay, telling The Federal that the TVK leader showed up 15 minutes early only after the Karur tragedy and alleged that the Puducherry government had "threatened" to cancel the meeting if more than 5,000 attended.

"If Vijay criticises the lack of proper ration shops, it should be taken as criticism of the Puducherry government itself," Elangovan said, adding that Vijay has no real concern for the people beyond his ambition to become Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. He claimed that if TVK had followed the police conditions in Tamil Nadu, permissions for rallies and meetings would have been granted.

Ex-Puducherry CM questions Vijay

Former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, speaking to The Federal, questioned why Vijay did not address the alleged corruption, irregularities, failure to implement public schemes, and poor law and order under the NR Congress-BJP coalition government, which Prime Minister Modi had once described as a "twin-engine" administration.

"Vijay came here and held the meeting just because someone advised him to conduct an event in Puducherry," Congress leader Narayanasamy said, adding that Vijay lacks a proper understanding of local politics.

He further pointed out that MGR's rule in Puducherry did not take root effectively, as the AIADMK government under Ramasamy was toppled by its own party members within just 1.5 years.

"Vijay talks about corruption in Tamil Nadu, but why didn't he speak about the corruption in the Puducherry government?" Narayanasamy asked, urging the TVK leader to gain deeper insights into the Union Territory's political landscape.

Will Vijay form alliance with NR Congress?

Journalist Swaminathan observed that while Vijay harshly attacked the Centre and DMK, he went soft on the NR Congress, suggesting that Vijay may be keen on forming an alliance with Chief Minister Rangasamy.

Veteran journalist Shyam noted that forming the government in Puducherry requires alliances, and Vijay's speech indicated his readiness for one. However, he pointed out that Vijay quoted some incorrect statistics regarding ration cards and that both Vijay and his team still lack a full understanding of Puducherry's ground realities. Shyam added that one key lesson Vijay seemed to have learned for the Puducherry meeting was the importance of punctuality, arriving without delay.