Chennai, Oct 2 (NationPress) The President of the Congress' Tamil Nadu unit, K. Selvaperunthagai, expressed strong disapproval towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, accusing them of "playing politics over the graves of victims" concerning the Karur stampede at actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally that resulted in the deaths of 41 individuals.

During a Congress-led signature campaign in Udhagamandalam, located in the Nilgiris district, Selvaperunthagai criticized the BJP for establishing an eight-member fact-finding committee, chaired by Lok Sabha MP Hema Malini, to investigate the Karur incident.

He expressed skepticism regarding the legitimacy of this committee, mentioning that the appointed members "do not even know the north from the south of Karur", and suggested that the initiative was more politically driven than genuinely aimed at assisting the victims.

Selvaperunthagai highlighted that the Tamil Nadu government has already initiated a one-member judicial commission, led by retired Justice Aruna Jagadeesan of the Madras High Court, to probe the circumstances surrounding the stampede.

"This official investigation is underway and will address the failures that contributed to the incident. The BJP's panel is redundant and solely intended for political gain," he stated.

He also defended the actions of the Tamil Nadu Police amidst claims of negligence, affirming that "videos from the site clearly show the police acting professionally and attempting to save lives". He commended their sincere response despite the tragic circumstances.

Selvaperunthagai accused the BJP of trying to undermine the administration while ignoring their own shortcomings, asserting, "On one hand, the BJP is engaging in vote theft; on the other, they are politicizing the deaths of innocent individuals".

Praising Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his administration for their prompt response to the disaster, he remarked, "If they (the BJP) cannot recognize the CM’s leadership and the state’s effective management of the tragedy, they should at least refrain from spreading mistrust."

Additionally, he criticized the Union government for its lack of action in ongoing crises, particularly in Manipur.

"While violence and fatalities persist in Manipur, no fact-finding committee has been dispatched there. However, in Tamil Nadu, where the government is acting responsibly, the BJP is quick to exploit the grief of families," he noted.

The Congress leader urged the public to resist being influenced by "insensitive political opportunism" and reaffirmed his support for the families affected by the Karur tragedy.