Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday strongly defended his government against allegations surrounding the Karur stampede tragedy, stating that his party had been unfairly blamed for the incident in which 41 people lost their lives.
Speaking in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Vijay said the Karur tragedy would remain unforgettable but criticised political opponents for using the incident to target his government. “The Karur incident will never be forgotten. We were unfairly blamed for it. Is this how politics should be conducted?” he asked.
The Chief Minister also outlined the ideological foundations of his party, saying it drew inspiration from several prominent social and political leaders. While acknowledging that his party did not accept Periyar's rejection of religious belief, Vijay said it had embraced his broader principles of social reform. He added that the party had adopted Dr BR Ambedkar's ideals of equal opportunity and social justice, along with K Kamaraj's model of clean and honest governance.
Vijay stressed that his party had always distinguished between political rivals and ideological opponents. He noted that, unlike most political movements, his party first connected with the people before formally entering politics.
Responding to critics who dismiss his movement as “an actor's party”, Vijay highlighted the party's performance in the 2026 Assembly elections. Contesting without any alliance, the party secured 35 per cent of the vote and received 17.2 million votes, emerging as a major political force in the state.
“Because people understood us clearly, we are now in government,” he said, adding that the achievement came despite significant challenges faced during the party's brief political journey.
Describing his administration as a “government of the most ordinary people”, Vijay compared it to the people-centric governments led by former Chief Ministers CN Annadurai and MG Ramachandran. He further claimed that the party had successfully transcended religious and caste divisions during the 2026 elections.
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