Chennai: Actor and BJP leader R Sarathkumar has strongly criticised actor-politician Vijay over the Karur tragedy. In a statement, Sarathkumar demanded that Vijay take full responsibility for the incident, saying, “It is not enough for a party leader to ensure only his own safety. His foremost duty must be to ensure the safety of his workers.”

Describing the loss of 40 lives and the hospitalisation of many others with serious injuries during the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam rally as “deeply painful,” Sarathkumar alleged that when Vijay began his third phase of touring, the police had set several conditions for granting permission to hold the rally. However, Vijay reportedly criticised these measures, rejected the directives, and opposed them.

“Safety must be the top priority in political journeys. A leader cannot protect only himself — his primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of his supporters. When Vijay arrived at Trichy airport for his first tour, some workers who came to receive him caused damage to public and government property. Instead of condemning such behaviour, he normalised it and began holding rallies every Saturday as part of his campaign.

Vijay takes pride in drawing massive crowds, and this has been a key factor in this tragedy. If he had planned such tours more responsibly — either on a day-to-day basis or three to four days a week — this disaster could have been prevented. By carrying out the tour without cooperating with the police’s precautionary measures, Vijay failed in his duty. He must take full responsibility for this incident. Going forward, he should extend full cooperation to the police and strictly follow government-mandated safety protocols,” Sarathkumar demanded.

Sarathkumar, currently in France, said that being unable to meet the victims personally “freezes his blood with grief.” He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who died in the stampede and urged the Tamil Nadu government to ensure the best medical treatment for those severely injured.