Actor Vijay is currently amid a political storm following the Karur stampede on September 27, which claimed the lives of 41 people. While the public and celebrities have expressed their grief over the tragedy, the actor has faced both support and criticism. Kannada actor Shivarajkumar has now shared his thoughts on the matter and offered advice to the actor-politician.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the famous Arulmigu Subramanya Swami Temple in Tiruchendur, Shivarajkumar said that the incident was "heartwrenching". He noted that he does not know much about Tamil Nadu politics, but placed hope in Vijay, calling him an "ethical" person. The Jailer star added that he is a welcome addition to politics as he "likes to do good things to people."
"I liked the way he spoke (when he entered politics)," he said about Vijay. "Again, I don't know all the details, but as a human being, such an incident, which resulted in the loss of many lives, would make you feel sad," he said, expressing his sadness on the tragedy. Further, Shivarajkumar gave an advice to Vijay, saying, "Whatever step he takes, he should do it calmly after a lot of deliberation."
Earlier, his fellow actor Rishab Shetty gave his two cents on hero worship and referred to the tragic incident as a "collective mistake". "If we like a hero or his character, we do hero worship. How can I comment on that (the stampede)? It's unfortunate when these accidents happen; around 40 people died there.”
“I don't think it could be one person's mistake; maybe it was a collective mistake made by many. Maybe it could have been controlled. That's why we call it an accident. It was not intentional. We should take precautions. But who will control a mob? How can I comment on that? We can easily blame the police or government; they also have a responsibility. But sometimes they will also have trouble (controlling the crowd),” he explained.
Meanwhile, Vijay has promised a compensation of Rs 20 lakhs to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakhs for those injured. He had issued a video statement last week explaining himself and his party, expressing condolences, and also being firm about the involvement of political sabotage in the incident. On Tuesday, he also spoke to the affected parties via video call, assuring them of all help needed.
Shivarajkumar, who was last seen in a full-fledged role in Bhairathi Ranagal, is back to films after undertaking treatments for his health. Up next, he has a massive line-up of films including Uttarakaanda, 45, Bhairavana Kone Paata, Peddi, 666 Operation Dream Theatre and the much-awaited Jailer 2 alongside Rajinikanth in Tamil.
