CHENNAI: Criticising Chief Minister Vijay’s public meeting in Karur on Friday, former DMK minister S S Sivasankar said the actor-turned-politician continued to function with a “filmy mindset” and accused him of attempting to shift the blame for his government’s failures onto the police and the DMK.
Addressing media persons at Anna Arivalayam – the DMK headquarters – Sivasankar said Vijay despite becoming the CM continues to speak as though he is the leader of a political party. “It is inappropriate for a chief minister to level allegations against the police department that functions under his own government. Instead of owning up to his party’s administrative failures, he has made it a habit to blame others,” Sivasankar alleged.
Rejecting allegations that the deadly Karur stampede was caused by the previous DMK government, Sivasankar claimed the incident resulted from poor planning by Vijay’s “film” team and delays in event management.
Former DMK minister and MLA V Senthil Balaji, too, hit back at Vijay over his remarks on the Karur stampede, asking who had stood by the victims and their families during the September 27 incident last year.
In a statement, Balaji alleged that despite people fainting in large numbers at the meeting, Vijay merely threw water bottles at the crowd, asked for ambulances to be brought in and continued with his speech instead of personally helping those affected.
Mentioning Vijay having left for Chennai in a private aircraft from Tiruchy airport without visiting the victims despite being informed about the deaths, Balaji said the people of Karur knew “who really ran away”, ending his statement with“Odu. Odu. Odu.” (Run. Run. Run).
AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran termed the government’s decision a misuse of official authority and as setting a dangerous precedent.
Meanwhile, TMC (M) president GK Vasan said the decision to provide government jobs should be viewed as a humanitarian gesture.
