Kallakurichi (Tamil Nadu): The death toll in the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district rose to 58 on Monday, according to the District Collectorate.
A total of 156 people are undergoing treatment at various government hospitals in the state after consuming illicit liquor. A total of 110 persons are undergoing treatment at the Kallakurichi Government Medical College hospital. Twelve persons are admitted at Puducherry, 20 persons are undergoing treatment at Salem and four are in Viluppuram government hospital.
According to the Kallakurichi District Magistrate, a total of seven people including five men and two women who were undergoing treatment at hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor have been discharged.
So far, 32 people have died at the Government Kallakurichi Medical College and Hospital, and 18 at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital in Salem. Four people have died at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital and three at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry.
Nadda writes to Kharge, slams Congress
BJP chief J P Nadda on Monday wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, questioning the "stoic silence" of his party on the hooch tragedy.
Calling the tragedy a "man-made disaster", Nadda, in his letter, alleged a nexus between the ruling "DMK-INDI alliance" dispensation and illicit liquor mafia as the reason behind the "worst ever" such incident.
He said the ghastly images of burning funeral pyres from Karunapuram village in the aftermath of Tamil Nadu's "worst ever spurious liquor consumption tragedy has shaken the conscience of the entire nation".
"Kharge ji, as you know Karunapuram is largely populated by the Scheduled Castes, who face several challenges due to poverty and discrimination in Tamil Nadu. In light of this, I was shocked that when such a huge disaster has taken place, the Congress party led by you has maintained a stoic silence on this," the BJP president said.
"Certain issues require us to rise above and beyond party lines and the welfare and safety of the SC, ST community is one such issue," he added.
Nadda asked Kharge to press upon the its alliance partner DMK's government in Tamil Nadu to go for a CBI probe and ensure the "immediate removal" of State Prohibition and Excise Minister S Muthusamy from his post. He also demanded that the amount of compensation to be given to the kin of the victims be enhanced to a "reasonable level" to ensure that these families have adequate support.
"Kharge ji today it is time to truly walk the talk on 'nyay (justice)' and not reduce it to a catchy campaign slogan, deployed for the launch of a failed political dynast. Today, the people of Tamil Nadu and the entire SC community are witnessing the double speak of the Congress party and particularly of Rahul Gandhi and leaders of the INDI Alliance," the BJP chief said.
Suddenly, all the "sanctimonious preachings" of Rahul Gandhi about the Constitution and ensuring the welfare and rights of SC/ OBC community have stopped, he charged. "It is time to act Kharge ji. Empty words, peddling fake narratives and hollow promises will not undo the 'anyay (injustice)' heaped upon the SC victims and their families by the DMK-INDI Alliance government," he added.
The BJP chief also urged Kharge to pursue Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to either pay a visit to the victims' families or at least muster the courage to raise their voice on this issue rather than maintaining a "deafening selective, hypocritical silence". Nadda said "media and investigative reports" so far have made it clear as to how the illicit liquor business was continuing in the state with impunity, "obviously with patronage from the state and police".
When the disaster struck, instead of immediately taking accountability and saving lives, the state administration was busy trying to cover up, which itself proved fatal and led to loss of more lives, he charged. "But what has been most disappointing is the brazen response of the DMK-INDI Alliance government led by MK Stalin, who continues to be in complete denial. His government continues to block a free and fair independent probe by opposing a CBI investigation," Nadda said.
Instead of taking action, INDIA bloc partner Kamal Haasan went and rubbed salt into the wounds of the victim's families by blaming them for the tragedy instead of the corrupt nexus of illicit liquor mafia and "DMK-INDI Alliance functionaries", he said.
"Hassan even alluded to giving people in the area psychiatric counselling. Instead of providing succour and relief, SC (Scheduled Caste) victims are being shamed by your allies," Nadda said in his letter to Kharge.
He demanded that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin, who is also home minister of the state, visit the families of the victims and ensure "strict crackdown" on corrupt officials "rather than patronise and defend them brazenly". Nadda alleged that there seems to be "a penchant" for illegal liquor business and "sharab ghotala" (liquor scam) amongst various constituents of the opposition's INDIA bloc and asked Kharge to "purge" his party's allies of such elements as such "proclivities" damage the nation and society.
"You ought to purge your alliance of such elements, who go against the basic philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi ji who was strictly against alcohol consumption and indulge in patronising illicit liquor trade or liquor scams," Nadda said in his letter to the Congress chief. (With agency inputs)
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