'Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy is state-sponsored murder,' says BJP

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shehzad Poonawalla has strongly condemned the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government and its leader, M K Stalin, for the loss of 53 lives in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu. He said that the incident is a “state-sponsored murder.”
Poonawalla said that the majority of the victims were young individuals, accusing the DMK government of failing to take responsibility and action against those involved in the production and distribution of illicit liquor."53 people lost their lives. The majority of them are youth. A state-sponsored murder for which the DMK government is solely responsible. But instead of taking action on this state-sponsored murder, DMK continues to shield the villains of this ghastly crime," Poonawalla added.
He pointed out that in May 2023, 23 individuals had died in similar circumstances in Villupuram and Chengalpattu, yet no substantial action was taken by the state government. He accused the DMK of being involved in a nexus with illicit liquor traders, claiming that this illegal activity was allowed to flourish under the state’s watch.
"The DMK today has come to mean ‘Do nothing, muzzle everyone, kill people through illicit liquor,’" Poonawalla said. He further added that the DMK has failed to act despite repeated instances of deaths due to illicit liquor, indicating a pattern of complicity and negligence. He demanded a CBI probe into the incident and called for the immediate resignation of the minister of prohibition and excise Muthusamy, who he claimed was responsible for the continued illegal liquor trade.
Demand for accountability
Poonawalla criticized the Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, for not visiting the affected areas or addressing the issue publicly. He emphasized the need for an impartial probe, stating that the state government and police were clearly involved in the illicit liquor trade. He questioned the silence of Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, who have often voiced concerns about South India and the SC community but have remained silent on this tragedy.
"Today, after this man-made disaster, thanks to their ally DMK, they have not uttered a single comment or word, let alone a condolence message," Poonawalla remarked, calling their previous concern for South India and the SC community as merely cosmetic.
BJP's action and demands
Anil Antony, who also addressed the press conference, reiterated the party’s demands for the resignation of the prohibition and excise minister and called for a reevaluation of the state’s prohibition policy. He highlighted that over 200 people had been hospitalized in Tamil Nadu due to the consumption of spurious liquor, and the state's response had been inadequate and misleading.
"The Bharatiya Janata Party also requests the Chief Minister to look into the prohibition policy and bring it into the right direction immediately," Antony stated, emphasizing the need for immediate reform to prevent such tragedies in the future. He also pointed out that most of the victims were from below the poverty line and belonged to the SC community, underscoring the social and economic impact of the tragedy.
The BJP leaders concluded the press conference by calling for justice for the victims and their families and vowing to continue their fight for accountability and reform in Tamil Nadu.