Hooch Tragedy: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday took a swipe at the DMK government over the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu's Kallakuruchi district, which has claimed 56 lives. BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra questioned the silence of Congress and other leaders of the INDIA bloc over the incident and termed the tragedy as a "state-sponsored murder". He asked why Chief Minister MK Stalin was not coming clean on the matter.
"When will he state the death of so many people? Why did the Collector deny deaths due to spurious liquor and try to deflect the issue? Was there any direction from the top leadership?" he asked.
He attacked Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other members of the INDIA bloc for not uttering a word about the incident and said that it's a murder not an accident.
"So many Dalits have lost their lives and still, all are silent. This is just because the matter does not align with their political interests I don't want to distinguish deaths based on castes, but the people who take out candle marches, those who fight for the rights of the Dalits, where are these people today?" he said.
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What Is Tamil Nadu Hooch Tragedy?
As many as 56 people lost their lives, while nearly 200 are still in hospital undergoing treatment after drinking illicit liquor in Karunapuram village, a Dalit-dominated area in Kallakurichi.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased victims, and Rs 50,000 each for the persons under treatment.
A judicial inquiry into the matter has been ordered and the probe will be led by retired Madras High Court judge Justice B Gokuldas. Justice Gokuldas will submit a report within three months.
Tamil Nadu Hooch Tragedy: Kamal Hassan Meets Victims At Kallakurichi Medical College
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan met the Hooch tragedy victims at the Kallakurichi Medical College. Following his meeting, he urged the government to create psychiatric centers that would counsel them. He also stated a need for provisions to rehabilitate people who 'exceed their limit' of alcohol.
"These victims will have to understand they have exceeded their limit and they have been careless. They have to be careful. They have to take care of their health," said Hassan to ANI.
"My request to the government would be to create psychiatric centers which will counsel them... It has to be occasional drinking, social drinking if at all. But they must understand that exceeding limit in any form be it sugar or anything is bad," he added.