NEW DELHI – The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is in charge of the government, quickly sent an eight-person team to look into the fatal stampede at actor-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu. Hema Malini, a BJP Member of Parliament, is leading the delegation that will go to Karur to look into the events that led to the deaths of at least 41 persons and injuries to more than 60.
The BJP President J.P. Nadda leads the delegation, which includes well-known politicians including Anurag Thakur, Tejasvi Surya, Braj Lal, Aprajita Sarangi, Rekha Sharma, Shrikant Shinde from the Shiv Sena, and Putta Mahesh Kumar from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Their job is to write a full report after meeting with the families affected and doing a thorough assessment on the ground.
This decision comes after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister L. Murugan went to Karur on Monday. Sitharaman said she was very sorry after speaking with the families of the dead. She told reporters, “I can’t describe their sorrow.” I’m broken… I can’t talk to or comfort the people who are sad.
The sad stampede happened on Saturday night during a rally for Vijay’s political organization, the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). After the event, police arrested Mathiazhagan, the TVK’s secretary for the Karur district. He is facing charges of culpable homicide and putting other people’s lives in jeopardy. The FIR also mentions Bussy Anand, the party’s general secretary, and Nirmal Kumar, the deputy general secretary.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has also spoken out against the tragedy, saying that stronger laws for public events are needed to stop this from happening again. “Karur was a terrible thing that happened… He said in a video message, “This is a tragedy that has never happened before and should never happen again.”
The creation of the NDA delegation shows how much attention the tragedy has gotten across the country, with officials from different political parties sending their sympathies and calling for accountability.