BJP criticizes INDIA Bloc's silence over Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a scathing attack on the opposition INDIA bloc for its “silence” regarding the recent hooch tragedy in DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu, which has claimed over 50 lives. BJP MP Sambit Patra highlighted the lack of response from key Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, describing their silence as “quite striking.”

“If more than 32 Dalits are killed in this country, I would call it a murder, this is not death,” Patra declared in a press briefing, emphasizing that the majority of the victims belonged to scheduled castes. He accused the opposition parties of remaining silent due to political interests.

The hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi district has resulted in 53 confirmed deaths, with many more hospitalized. Of the 193 admitted to various government medical facilities, 140 are currently reported as stable, according to district collector M S Prasanth. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin confirmed that the locally brewed arrack drink was laced with poisonous methanol, leading to the deaths.

The incident has underscored a persistent issue in India, where hundreds die annually from consuming cheaply produced alcohol spiked with methanol, a toxic substance that can cause severe health complications and death.

Justice B Gokuldas, a retired judge of the Madras High Court, has commenced an investigation into the tragedy. On Friday, he visited the Kallakurichi Government Medical College Hospital as part of his preliminary inquiries but refrained from commenting to reporters.

AIADMK legislators, led by opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, demanded an adjournment of the question hour in the Assembly to discuss the incident. Speaker M Appavu, however, ruled against it but promised time during zero hour for the discussion. Unsatisfied, AIADMK members walked out in protest.

Palaniswami dismissed the state-appointed one-man commission’s inquiry as inadequate, renewing his call for a CBI probe. He criticized the state for lacking essential medicines, including an antidote to methanol.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian countered Palaniswami’s claims, mocking him for confusing the actual antidote, Fomepizole, with Omeprazole. The ruling DMK accused AIADMK of politicizing the tragedy and rejected calls for a CBI inquiry, insisting that their handling of the matter has been transparent.

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit a detailed report on actions taken to curb the sale of illicit arrack. This directive came during a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation filed by AIADMK’s legal wing secretary, I S Inbadurai, with the court scheduling the next hearing for June 26.