Gandhis, Congress, DMK Silent On Kallakurchi Hooch Tragedy: BJP Slams INDIA Bloc

The BJP has come down heavily on the Congress, the DMK and the INDIA bloc members over the Kallakurchi hooch tragedy where the death toll has climbed to 56.

Addressing the media, BJP MP Sambit Patra questioned the silence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi on the issue. He said, "Today we are here to discuss news from Tamil Nadu, it is about a hooch tragedy, illicit liquor from Kallakurchi, a district of Tamil Nadu...When I came to hold this press conference and was checking the figures, the number of dead was 56.

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..."

A total of 56 people died in the incident, according to a report by the district administration on Sunday. 216 people have been hospitalised.

BJP MP Sambit Patra mentioned that the newspaper reported the liquor shop was located on a busy street and that the warehouse of the incident's alleged mastermind, Govind Raj, had DMK stickers both outside and inside. He questioned Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's complicity in the matter and asked who would respond on his behalf.

On Saturday, the BJP demanded the immediate resignation of Tamil Nadu Prohibition and Excise Minister S Muthusamy over the tragedy and accused the ruling DMK of shielding the culprits.

The saffron party also demanded a probe into the incident by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"So far, 53 individuals have died and a majority of them belonged to the Scheduled Castes. Instead of taking action on this state-sponsored murder, the DMK continues to shield the villains of this ghastly crime," Shehzad Poonawalla said.

Referring to similar incidents in the state in the past, he alleged that there is a nexus between the liquor mafia and DMK leaders and demanded a CBI probe into it.