New Delhi,June24 (UNI) Union Health Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda on Monday wrote a letter to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, questioning the party's silence over the Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy.
BJP President Nadda accused the Congress of maintaining “stoic silence” over the issue and alleged that Kallakurichi hooch tragedy was a "man-made disaster".
Hitting out at the state government, Nadda said that the illicit liquor mafia in Tamil Nadu is functioning with impunity under the DMK.
Nadda alleged that instead of taking responsibility and action against the mafia, the state government was busy in its cover-up, which in turn led to more deaths.
"I was shocked that when such a huge disaster has taken place, the Congress party led by you has maintained a stoic silence on this. At this juncture, the BJP and the entire nation indeed demand that you press upon the DMK-INDI Alliance Tamil Nadu government to go for a CBI probe and ensure the immediate removal of Muthuswamy as minister," letter said.
Targeting the Congress for its "deafening, hypocritical silence", Nadda urged Kharge to “pursue Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, to either pay a visit to the victim's families or at least muster the courage to raise their voices on this issue".
“I invite you to join our leaders for a black band protest against this ‘state-sponsored disaster’ in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Prerna Sthal within Parliament precincts," wrote Nadda.
He said that the BJP had cautioned the DMK government of the illicit liquor mafia in the state. However, no attention was paid to their warnings.
Mentioning the heavy influence of "illicit liquor mafias" in the state, Nadda said that such businesses were "functioning with impunity, right in the open during broad daylight, with patronage from state and police".
The state administration's efforts to control the damage caused after the hooch tragedy by covering up the incident proved fatal and led to the loss of more lives, added Nadda.
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