Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday criticized Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu, where more than 50 people have died and nearly 200 have been hospitalized.
“More than 200 people are still in hospital in a critical stage. Fifty-six people have died, and most of them are from the scheduled caste. I condemn the incident. I am shocked that the Congress has not uttered a word against this. In a state where licensed liquor is available from government-run TASMAC shops,” Sitharaman told ANI.
She continued, “Despite that, in the middle of Kallakurichi, chemical-based illicit liquor is served. Where is Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge? Where is Rahul Gandhi? He contests elections just because he is assured of winning. When Dalits are dying because of spurious liquor, not a statement comes from Rahul Gandhi. I demand that this whole matter be given to the CBI for investigation.”
The Congress is part of the ruling alliance with the INDIA bloc partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu. The BJP has criticized the opposition alliance, urging its leaders to show repentance by gathering near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex and observing a moment of silence for the lives lost.
As per the information shared by the District Collectorate, Kallakurichi, there were a total of 216 patients admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor.
In Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer), Puducherry, 17 patients are alive and three have been declared dead, while in Vilupuram Medical College, four people are alive and four have been declared dead.
Most deaths occurred at Kallakurichi Medical College, where 31 people are dead and 108 are alive. At Salem Medical College, 30 people are alive, whereas 18 have been reported dead. "There are 160 people who were admitted to the above-mentioned hospitals and 55 people are dead," according to official data.152 male patients are alive in the incident, whereas 51 are dead.