R ARIVANANTHAM
KANCHEEPURAM, NOV 23
In his first public address since the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives, actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay launched a sharp attack on the DMK government, accusing it of corruption, poor governance and abandoning the principles of its founder, C.N. Annadurai.
Speaking at a closed-door event in a private educational institution in Kancheepuram district, Vijay alleged that the ruling dispensation had been involved in widespread illegal sand mining along the Palar river, resulting in losses of over ₹4,730 crore to the public exchequer. “The Palar, the lifeline of this region, has been degraded through illegal sand mining. Evidence for this is before the courts and the Enforcement Directorate,” he said.
Counters “Tharkuri” Label with Wordplay
Responding to political rivals who have labelled his supporters “tharkuri” (ignorant), Vijay used a string of alliterative retorts.
Vijay declared that his supporters would turn the DMK’s future into a “kelvi kuri” (a question mark), and described them as the “acharya kuri” (exclamation mark) of Tamil Nadu politics and the “arikuri” (indicator) of political change.
Although the interaction was billed as a public meeting, entry was restricted to around 1,500–2,000 selected attendees, and the media was not permitted inside.
Defers Comments on Karur Tragedy
While acknowledging public expectation that he would address the recent stampede at his Karur rally, Vijay said he would speak about the incident at a separate time.
TVK’s 2026 Election Vision Outlined
For the first time, Vijay offered a glimpse of TVK’s likely 2026 Assembly election manifesto, laying out a series of welfare and development promises:
Household Welfare
- Permanent housing for all families
- One two-wheeler for every household
- Economic mobility to help families own cars
- Guaranteed stable income for at least one family member
Education & Employment
- Ensuring every individual completes an undergraduate degree
- Reforms aimed at improving job-oriented education
Healthcare & Infrastructure
- Upgraded facilities in government hospitals
- Flood mitigation and resilience measures
Safety & Law Enforcement
- Enhanced safety for women
- Stringent enforcement of law and order
“These will be elaborated in detail in our election manifesto,” he said.
Reiterates TVK’s Ideological Stand
Taking a direct swipe at Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for questioning TVK’s ideological clarity, Vijay asserted that the party’s core principle is that “all are equal at birth.”
He pointed out that TVK had opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and had moved the Supreme Court challenging the amendments to the Waqf Act, framing these steps as part of the party’s commitment to equality and constitutional values.
