'deafening, Selective, Hypocritical': JP Nadda Questions Congress' Silence Over Kallakurichi Tragedy

New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP president JP Nadda on Monday, June 24, wrote a letter to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy which claimed the lives of 57 people.

Calling the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy a man-made disaster, JP Nadda questioned Congress' silence over the issue. “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,” said Nadda in his letter. Calling for a CBI probe, Nadda said that Muthuswamy must be immediately sacked.

"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...," the letter read. “The tragedy in Kallakurichi is an entirely man-made disaster and perhaps if the deep-nexus between the ruling DMK-INDI alliance dispensation and illicit liquor mafia didnot exist, 56 lives could have been saved," it added. 

‘Urge Rahul and Priyanka to…’ 

In the letter, Nadda urged Kharge to ask Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to visit the victims of the hooch tragedy. He accused the Congress leaders of maintaining a “deafening, selective, hypocritical silence.” 

"We also urge you to pursue Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, to either pay a visit to the victim's families or tales muster the courage to raise their voices on this issue rather than maintaining a deafening selective, hypocritical silence... 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," the BJP leader said. 

Death Toll Rises to 57 

57 people have dies while 156 are under going treatment after consuming illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi. On Monday, a BJP delegation led by Tamil Nadu unit chief K Annamalai met Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, seeking a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy. 

In a post on 'X,' Annamalai claimed that 60 lives have been lost due to the tragedy and also urged Ravi to direct Chief Minister M K Stalin to drop his cabinet colleague S Muthusamy, who holds the Prohibition and Excise portfolio, holding him 'responsible' for the episode. "We also requested the Governor to insist to the Chief Minister to remove the Prohibition and Excise minister," Annamalai said.