New Delhi: BJP President J.P. Nadda has formed an eight-member committee of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs to investigate the stampede in Karur, Tamil Nadu. The committee will investigate the circumstances of the stampede and submit a report. 41 people died in the stampede.
BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh said in a statement, “BJP President Nadda has expressed his condolences on the loss of life at the Karur rally. He also wished a speedy recovery to the injured who are being treated in the hospital.”
He has also directed the eight-member committee of MPs to investigate the incident, meet with the affected people, and express condolences. The committee of MPs will investigate the incident and submit a report to the BJP leadership.
While the BJP typically sends its own leaders to the scene to investigate such tragic incidents, this time, the party has also included MPs from its allies—the Shiv Sena and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)—in the eight-member committee. This move is clearly an attempt to convey the importance it places on its allies.
BJP MP from Mathura and actress Hema Malini is the convener of the delegation, and its members include Shrikant Shinde of the Shiv Sena and Putta Mahesh Kumar of the TDP. Hema Malini herself is a Tamilian. Other members of the delegation include Anurag Thakur, Tejasvi Surya, former IPS officer Brij Lal, Aparajita Sarangi, and Rekha Sharma, all from the BJP.
The death toll in the stampede at a rally for TVK chief Vijay on Saturday has risen to 41. Officials said on Monday that the victim, a 60-year-old woman, succumbed to her injuries in hospital, bringing the death toll to 18. The deceased include 10 children and 13 men.
The Tamil Nadu government has formed a one-member commission headed by retired High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan to investigate the matter. For the past two days, Aruna Jagadeesan has been at the rally site and interviewing the families of the deceased.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case under four sections against TVK General Secretary Pussy Anand, TVK Karur District Secretary, and other officials in connection with the incident and are investigating. Furthermore, a petition has been filed in the Madurai High Court on behalf of Thaveka, demanding a CBI inquiry into the deaths.
