New Delhi: The BJP on Sunday attacked the INDIA bloc over the Tamil Nadu liquor tragedy, with Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanding that the Congress break its silence on the issue and "stop" its ally DMK over the loss of life in the incident. .
The BJP also said it hopes opposition alliance leaders who have not spoken on the issue will at least show remorse by gathering near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament complex and observing a moment of silence for the victims.
Union Finance Minister Sitharaman also demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI for investigation.
"There is no statement coming from the Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge) or the former Congress president (Rahul Gandhi), who is rushing to the South in search of people's vote to win the elections," he charged.
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has helped support those selling spurious liquor in the state, Sitharaman alleged.
“The incident cannot be investigated in depth if the state government takes up the investigation. And therefore I demand that this investigation be handed over to the CBI and immediate action be taken to arrest those behind this,” she said.
"I don't think justice will be done if the investigation and the entire matter is left solely in the hands of the Tamil Nadu government," she added.
Sitharaman said the Tamil Nadu government has shown “complete incompetence” in handling the matter. The state government has not even allowed a discussion in the assembly on this matter, she added.
“Liquor flows like water. Illicit liquor is killing people. Today there is a drug menace in Tamil Nadu, youth are losing their lives and the state government has not taken any action,” Sitharaman said.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, the party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra also slammed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and asked him to clarify whether he was "complicit" in the incident that took place at the Kallakurichi district of state.
"More than 56 people have died...many are still in critical condition. More than 40 of those who died consuming spurious liquor are Dalits. This is a state-sponsored murder, and I am shocked that Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi, leaders of the DMK and other members of the 'INDI Alliance' are silent in this regard," Patra said.
It seems that they are silent on this issue because it does not favor their politics, the BJP leader charged.
"When the Parliament session begins tomorrow, I hope the INDI Alliance leaders will go to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi to remain silent, wear black bands on their arms and repent for the death of people in the alcohol tragedy," Patra said .
"Mahatma Gandhi was against illicit alcohol. Gandhiji's statue is waiting for you, his principles are waiting for you," he added.
Attacking Chief Minister Stalin, Patra accused his government and DMK leaders of being complicit in the liquor tragedy.
"In his first statement, the district collector had initially denied that people died after consuming spurious liquor. He was asked to do so because the Assembly session was scheduled to begin the next day," the BJP leader was quoted as saying. some media reports.
Given the refusal of the district collector, those who had stocks of the spurious liquor continued to consume it and more than a dozen people died the next day, he added.
"Of course, the (Tamil Nadu) government is complicit in this. Look at the behavior of the prime minister. I am amazed that a tragedy of such magnitude has hit the state and yet the prime minister is absent. Till such time I came to hold this press conference, I had not visited the relatives of the deceased," Patra said.
"Shouldn't the CM make a statement?" asked the BJP leader.
The BJP also said it hopes opposition alliance leaders who have not spoken on the issue will at least show remorse by gathering near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament complex and observing a moment of silence for the victims.
Union Finance Minister Sitharaman also demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI for investigation.
"There is no statement coming from the Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge) or the former Congress president (Rahul Gandhi), who is rushing to the South in search of people's vote to win the elections," he charged.
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has helped support those selling spurious liquor in the state, Sitharaman alleged.
“The incident cannot be investigated in depth if the state government takes up the investigation. And therefore I demand that this investigation be handed over to the CBI and immediate action be taken to arrest those behind this,” she said.
"I don't think justice will be done if the investigation and the entire matter is left solely in the hands of the Tamil Nadu government," she added.
Sitharaman said the Tamil Nadu government has shown “complete incompetence” in handling the matter. The state government has not even allowed a discussion in the assembly on this matter, she added.
“Liquor flows like water. Illicit liquor is killing people. Today there is a drug menace in Tamil Nadu, youth are losing their lives and the state government has not taken any action,” Sitharaman said.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, the party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra also slammed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and asked him to clarify whether he was "complicit" in the incident that took place at the Kallakurichi district of state.
"More than 56 people have died...many are still in critical condition. More than 40 of those who died consuming spurious liquor are Dalits. This is a state-sponsored murder, and I am shocked that Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi, leaders of the DMK and other members of the 'INDI Alliance' are silent in this regard," Patra said.
It seems that they are silent on this issue because it does not favor their politics, the BJP leader charged.
"When the Parliament session begins tomorrow, I hope the INDI Alliance leaders will go to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi to remain silent, wear black bands on their arms and repent for the death of people in the alcohol tragedy," Patra said .
"Mahatma Gandhi was against illicit alcohol. Gandhiji's statue is waiting for you, his principles are waiting for you," he added.
Attacking Chief Minister Stalin, Patra accused his government and DMK leaders of being complicit in the liquor tragedy.
"In his first statement, the district collector had initially denied that people died after consuming spurious liquor. He was asked to do so because the Assembly session was scheduled to begin the next day," the BJP leader was quoted as saying. some media reports.
Given the refusal of the district collector, those who had stocks of the spurious liquor continued to consume it and more than a dozen people died the next day, he added.
"Of course, the (Tamil Nadu) government is complicit in this. Look at the behavior of the prime minister. I am amazed that a tragedy of such magnitude has hit the state and yet the prime minister is absent. Till such time I came to hold this press conference, I had not visited the relatives of the deceased," Patra said.
"Shouldn't the CM make a statement?" asked the BJP leader.
