NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Congress and its allies in the INDIA bloc, including the ruling
DMK
in Tamil Nadu, for their silence on the
Kallakurichi hooch tragedy
, which has claimed 56 lives so far. The BJP held a press conference to address the issue.
In the press conference, BJP MP
Sambit Patra
directed attacks towards the Congress leadership, specifically naming Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi for their silence on the issue.
“More than 56 people have died and many of them are critical, still about 200 people are admitted to the hospital. This is such an important issue and I am surprised that Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, DMK and all the people of the INDIA alliance are silent on this issue. If more than 32 Dalits are killed in this country, I would call it a murder, this is not death,” Patra said.
The death toll in the Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy has risen to 56, according to a report released by the district administration on Sunday. The District Collectorate of Kallakurichi reported that a total of 216 patients were admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor.
Earlier on Saturday, BJP workers in Tamil Nadu staged a protest over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.
Previously, Tamil Nadu government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, to be led by retired Madras high court judge Justice B Gokuldas. Justice Gokuldas is expected to submit a report within three months.
Chief minister MK Stalin announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 to each person under treatment.
The CB-CID of Tamil Nadu police, entrusted with investigating the tragedy, has initiated a probe under SP Shantharam.
Seven people have been arrested in connection with the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, according to the Kallakurichi collector.
