Heavy turnout leads to chaos at Vijay-led TVK's iftar gathering in Chennai
Despite meticulous planning, the event was marred by poor management, which led to a large number of local Muslim community members being denied entry.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay in the Iftar gathering at YMCA grounds in Royapettah
CHENNAI: A much-anticipated Iftar gathering organised by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay at the YMCA grounds in Royapettah here, descended into chaos on Friday evening.
Despite meticulous planning, the event was marred by poor management, which led to a large number of local Muslim community members being denied entry.
The gathering, intended to be a show of solidarity with the Muslim community during the holy month of Ramadan, ultimately ended in disarray.
The TVK had issued approximately 3,000 passes for the event, but an unexpectedly large crowd of over 5,000 people converged on the YMCA grounds, eager to catch a glimpse of the actor-turned-politician.
As a result, many Muslim community members who had obtained passes were left stranded outside the venue.
The situation took a turn for the worse when non-Muslim TVK cadres, who had apparently not been invited, forced their way into the hall, occupying the limited space available.
This led to a confrontation between the cadres and the local Muslim community members, who were denied entry despite possessing valid passes.
Ansar Ali, one of the individuals residing at Nungambakkam who was denied entry, expressed his disappointment and frustration at the event's mismanagement.
"The entire arrangement was extremely poor. They couldn't even manage their own cadres, and ended up insulting the Muslim community during our holy month, all for their own political gain, " he lamented.
Meanwhile, Vijay, who arrived at the venue at 5:20 pm, was greeted by TVK cadres.
The actor-turned-politician, dressed in traditional Muslim attire, including a kaili, shirt, and kulla, waved enthusiastically at the crowd before entering the hall.
Once inside, he participated in the breaking of the fast, eating dates, samosas, and fasting porridge alongside Muslim community members and TVK cadres.
The TVK had earlier announced that the event would be a gesture of solidarity with the Muslim community during Ramadan.
The party had also invited five Muslim cadres from each district to participate in the event.
However, the evening's events ultimately overshadowed the gesture, leaving many in attendance feeling disappointed and disillusioned.
