EPS Hits Out at Stalin Government Over Karur Stampede Tragedy

Chennai: AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami has accused the DMK government of mishandling the aftermath of the Karur stampede, in which 41 people lost their lives, alleging that it is more concerned with avoiding blame than delivering justice.   

In a statement on Tuesday, Palaniswami said the government was “in complete disarray” and appeared intent on covering up its failures. He questioned why the state Revenue Secretary had been addressing the media on the incident when elected representatives and ministers were in office.  

“When there are elected representatives and ministers, what is the necessity for the Revenue Secretary to give interviews to the media?” he asked. 

Palaniswami also criticised the move as an attempt to pre-empt the inquiry already underway. A commission led by retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan has been appointed to investigate the tragedy.

“When a commission of inquiry… has already been appointed and has begun its work, what is the necessity for a secretary, even in the capacity of a government spokesperson, to speak on such matters? Should this not be considered an attempt to influence the opinions of that commission and an affront to justice?” he said.

The AIADMK leader alleged that the government was staging a “drama” to conceal the truth and claimed this had deepened public mistrust.

“The Stalin government lacks any form of ethics or morality; their primary concern is to escape responsibility for this horrific incident in which 41 innocent people lost their lives. Furthermore, the fact that this government has staged such a drama to conceal the truth of the incident has created significant suspicion among the public,” he said.