AIADMK MLAs meet Tamil Nadu Governor as row over hooch deaths heats up

AIADMK MLAs submitted a petition to Governor RN Ravi seeking a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy hours after they were evicted en masse from the assembly on Tuesday for trying to raise the tragedy during the question hour and barred from attending the proceedings for the rest of day.

At least 58 people lost their lives, seven have been discharged and 156 people are undergoing treatment at four different hospitals across the state. They had consumed illicit liquor laced with methanol on June 18.

Chief minister MK Stalin said that the assembly had already debated the issue in detail, where he had elaborated on the action taken so far. “Twenty people have been arrested so far in connection with the hooch tragedy,” Stalin said, adding that the case has been transferred to the CB-CID and a judicial probe has been ordered. He attacked the AIADMK for indulging in such activities as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led coalition had a landslide victory winning all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry.

Municipal administration minister K N Nehru moved a resolution seeking suspension of the Opposition members for the rest of the session, but Stalin intervened to make it only for a day. “The speaker was forced to evict them from the assembly. I requested the Speaker to allow the Opposition to be present for the discussion on Kallakurichi. The Speaker accepted my request but they are still creating disturbances,” Stalin said.

The AIADMK legislators and all senior leaders led by leader of opposition Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) submitted a 10-page letter to the governor accessed by HT. “The death count is rising day by day. The Departments which were entrusted with the protective and preventive duties have failed- the government failed- the Ministers failed and ultimately people died…the Government headed by Chief Minister who also happens to be the Home Minister failed due to lack of leadership and ability to handle the issue,” the letter stated.

This comes a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called on the Ggovernor seeking a CBI probe over the hooch tragedy and the resignation of prohibition minister S Muthusamy. “It is not as if CBI would be better equipped than another agency to look into the offences that have been committed. But the fact remains the Police and all the agencies of the Tamil Nadu Police are mere puppets in the hands of the present Government and as such there is a need for an independent enquiry,’ the letter said.

A statement from the Raj Bhavan said that the AIADMK raised concerns last year as well when 22 people died in twin hooch tragedies in Chengalpattu and Villupuram.

Stalin criticised AIADMK’s demand for a CBI probe. “I want to remind the AIADMK that the current opposition leader, Edappadi K Palaniswami, faced a CBI probe against him ordered by the court when he was the chief minister. At that time, he blocked it, saying he had no trust in the CBI. Now, the same people are asking for a CBI probe in this case,” he added.