Moily blames BJP for hooch tragedy

Gulbarga, May 20 (UNI) Former Karnataka Chief Minister Veerappa Moily today blamed the BJP for the death of more than 70 people in the hooch tragedy in Kolar District and Bangalore since last three days.

''It was the BJP, during its coalition with the JD(S), which implemented the ban on sale of arrack in the State without any concrete plan to effectively implement the ban and stop the supply of spurious liquor,'' he added.

He alleged, ''BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa did not take any measure to check the free flow of arrack'', adding. ''The Excise Department has not been fortified by forming special teams to keep vigil and effectively curb the flow of countrymade liquor or spurious liquor.'' He pointed out that the ban on arrack had not yielded any result in the state as the sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) had increased substantially to 40 lakh cases from 12 lakh after the imposition of the ban.

Referring to senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojari's remarks that the ban on arrack would be lifted, if the Congress was voted to power, Mr Moily made it clear that Mr Poojari had expressed his personal opinion and the Congress had nothing to do with this.

Mr Moily said the 'architecture' of the civilian nuclear deal with the US had been manifested during the NDA regime and added that the then National Security Adviser Brijesh Mishra was even now emphasising the need for going ahead with the deal.

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