CHENNAI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay has urged party members to refrain from celebrating Deepavali this year as a mark of respect for the 41 people who lost their lives in the stampede during the recent political rally in Karur.
According to party sources, TVK general secretary N Anand conveyed Vijay’s instructions orally to district-level functionaries, urging them to refrain from holding any celebration on behalf of the party. “As a tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragedy, the TVK president has advised all party functionaries not to celebrate Deepavali this year,” the sources said.
The directive also told the cadre not to post greetings, banners or posters on social media using the party’s name. However, Vijay has permitted office-bearers to exchange personal greetings in an individual capacity, without linking them to the party.
Speaking to TNIE, on condition of anonymity, a district-level functionary from the delta region said, “Since Deepavali falls within a month of the tragedy (September 27), we had already decided informally not to celebrate the festival. Now, our leadership has given an official advisory. Most of the victims were either Vijay’s fans or TVK members, so the tragedy is like a personal loss to us.”
Other party office-bearers also recalled that TVK general secretary (election campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna had earlier announced a 16-day mourning period following the tragedy. “We lost 41 of our own TVK family members. Observing restraint during Deepavali is our duty and responsibility,” the leaders added.
