Accountability in Crisis: Should TVK's Vijay Face Charges for the Karur Stampede Tragedy?

Three days have passed since the devastating human tragedy at Velusamypuram in Karur, which claimed 41 lives. What we've witnessed since then is a fierce exchange of accusations, public displays of grief for political optics, the establishment of a judicial commission, and a series of FIRs and court proceedings.

TVK's top leadership, including Vijay himself, has remained inaccessible to both journalists and the public. Instead, they have approached courts seeking a CBI investigation, alleging conspiracy. While serious charges have been filed against top TVK functionaries and arrests have been made, Vijay and most of his leadership team remain shielded from public scrutiny.

It is imperative that Vijay steps up as a political leader and addresses a press conference, or at minimum provides a point-by-point response to the allegations against him and his party. If he cannot do so, another party leader should take this responsibility.

Several questions demand answers: What role did Vijay play in planning and executing these rallies, particularly at Velusamypuram? Why was he delayed in arriving at the location? Did he deliberately depart late for the events? Did he proceed to the venue despite senior police officers instructing him and his convoy to stop approximately one hundred meters from the site?

As party leader, doesn't he bear moral responsibility for what transpired? If they suspect a conspiracy of such magnitude, what evidence supports such allegations? Most critically, should he face criminal charges?

These are crucial questions Vijay and TVK must address. TVK leaders privately acknowledge these difficult questions and express concern about lacking adequate answers for a press conference.

The question for law enforcement and the State government is this: Despite making serious allegations about TVK violating conditions, why haven't they filed criminal charges directly against Vijay? While two TVK general secretaries have been booked and a district secretary arrested, why has no legal responsibility been assigned to Vijay himself?

The reality is that while making political accusations against Vijay is straightforward, police action against him risks transforming the narrative into one of victimization by the DMK.

Though all political parties have made allegations against Vijay, they've been hesitant to demand direct action against him. Any such action could become a political misstep for the DMK. The Congress, a long-standing DMK ally, has even signaled warming relations with Vijay through a call from Rahul Gandhi. The AIADMK, while demanding a CBI investigation, hasn't called for direct action against Vijay. Smaller parties have issued statements aligning with their political interests.

This reflects the unfortunate reality of our system: law is rarely applied equally; politicians typically receive preferential treatment, and decisions to file cases against them are political rather than procedural. While star Allu Arjun was charged in the Hyderabad stampede, top political figures absolved themselves in the Bengaluru RCB celebrations stampede that killed 11 people. Even in Allu Arjun's case, the charges backfired on the State government, with the Chief Minister accused of targeting him for personal reasons. Such is the influence of stardom—it's easier to prosecute those with lower profiles.

Among Vijay's supporters, the eagerness to stand in crowds for a glimpse of him will not diminish despite this tragedy. Public appearances will still draw such crowds—a telling reality of social psychology that sustains both stars and politicians.

The political aftermath of this stampede will have consequences, primarily due to TVK's response. It will shape TVK's political narrative and expose weaknesses in their organization—currently a one-man show lacking organizational depth, secondary leadership, and crisis management capabilities. However, this won't diminish Vijay's appeal or support base.

He remains the X factor in Tamil Nadu's 2026 political landscape, which explains why determining his legal responsibility for the stampede will ultimately be a political decision rather than one guided by justice for the 41 victims or ensuring accountability in this enormous tragedy.