DMK Afraid of Vijay's Visit To Karur: CTR Nirmal Kumar

CTR Nirmal Kumar, Minister for Energy Resources, on Tuesday slammed the DMK after it approached the Supreme Court to prevent Chief Minister Vijay from visiting Karur.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Kumar saud, "You can understand what the DMK is capable of and what it has been doing. Last year, whenever we tried to go to Karur, the DMK stopped us while it was in power. Every time our Chief Minister tried to visit Karur, they prevented us... Now, even after he has become Chief Minister, what is the problem with allowing him to visit Karur and meet the people? The DMK appears to be afraid of his visit..."

The legal challenge comes after the DMK approached the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking directions to prevent Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay and other accused in the Karur stampede case from making public statements or directly interacting with the families of victims while the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe is in progress.

According to a report by Live Law, the party argued that meetings with victims' families during the court-monitored investigation could influence crucial witnesses and affect the fairness of the probe.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for DMK organising secretary R.S. Bharati, mentioned the matter before a bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu, requesting an urgent hearing. He told the court that Chief Minister Vijay is scheduled to visit Karur on July 10 to meet the families of those who were killed and injured in the stampede.

During the hearing, Justice Amanullah questioned what effective direction the court could issue in such a situation. After considering the submissions, the bench agreed to hear the application on Tuesday.

In its plea, the DMK clarified that it does not oppose the state government extending financial assistance or welfare benefits to the affected families. However, it contended that the process of distributing such benefits should be regulated so that it does not interfere with the ongoing CBI investigation.

The application cited reports that Vijay intends to hand over government orders, compassionate appointment letters and other relief measures to the families of those killed and injured during his Karur visit. The party argued that direct engagement by members of the political executive with potential witnesses could raise legitimate concerns over the independence of the investigation.

The DMK further pointed out that the Chief Minister had already announced compensation of ₹20 lakh for the families of those killed and ₹2 lakh for those injured in October 2025, when criminal proceedings in the case were already underway. It argued that the proposed distribution of additional benefits, along with recent public remarks made by a minister who is also an accused in the case, warranted the Supreme Court's intervention to safeguard the integrity of the investigation.