Kallakurichi hooch tragedy: DMK MLAs ask PMK leaders to prove charges or quit politics

CHENNAI: Accusing PMK leaders S Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss of making false allegations against them, DMK MLAs T Udhayasuriyan and Vasantham K Karthikeyan, representing Sankarapuram and Rishivandiyam respectively, on Saturday challenged the duo to either prove their claims or quit politics.
The MLAs, who are also DMK’s Kallakurichi north and south district secretaries, plan to file defamation suits against the PMK leaders.
In Kallakurichi, Anbumani, after visiting a hospital, told reporters that the DMK district secretaries and MLAs should be arrested for their alleged link to the hooch tragedy.
Speaking to reporters at the secretariat on Saturday, the MLAs pointed to their decades-long successful careers and denied any wrongdoing.
Udhayasuriyan said, “If Ramadoss and Anbumani prove the charges, we are ready to quit public life. We have never indulged in such evil activities.”
Udhayasuriyan, a five-time MLA, accused the PMK leaders of exaggerating claims due to their recent electoral defeats and the potential forfeiture of their deposit in the upcoming Vikravandi bypoll.
Udhayasuriyan alleged that Anbumani had knocked on the doors of court against a CBI probe into the charges against him in allowing a medical college while he was Union health minister “But now he is seeking a CBI probe into Kallakurichi incident,” he said.
The DMK MLA hailed the decisive steps taken within 24 hours by chief minister M K Stalin against high-ranking officials, including the additional DGP, district collector and superintendent of police, following the Kallakurichi incident unlike lack of action in BJP-ruled states where “hundreds of deaths” have taken place."