AIADMK holds hunger strike demanding CBI inquiry over Kallakurichi hooch tragedy

CHENNAI: The leaders and workers of the AIADMK are on a hunger strike in Chennai on Thursday condemning the DMK Government over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy and demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the same which claimed 63 lives.

AIADMK leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Edappadi Palaniswami and other senior leaders are participating in the strike.

Ever since the Assembly Session began principle opposition in the assembly AIADMK created a ruckus demanding a CBI inquiry into the illicit liquor tragedy and demanded the resignation of CM MK Stalin.

A resolution was also passed on Wednesday in the assembly to suspend AIADMK for disrupting the assembly proceedings. Tamil Nadu Speaker M. Appavu ordered the eviction of the AIADMK MLAs who disrupted the assembly proceedings. The MLAs had demanded an adjournment of the Q&A session and continued to raise slogans over the tragedy.

Speaker Appavu stated, "Many important issues need to be discussed in the Assembly. The caste census resolution is to be passed. The CM also felt that the Opposition must be part of this. So, the CM intervened and requested not to suspend AIADMK MLAs for the entire session. As per rule 56, AIADMK gave a motion for adjournment. But they are not ready to listen to what I am saying."

He added, "We never stopped AIADMK leaders from speaking in the assembly. But they should speak at the required time. It is painful to see in a democratic assembly, the AIADMK leaders keep on disrupting the proceedings. If this continues, how will other MLAs speak about their constituency?"

Earlier, on Wednesday, a three-member delegation of the National Commission for Women, led by Khushbu Sundar, visited the families of victims who lost their lives by consuming illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district.

The NCW had earlier taken suo motto cognizance of a media report on the deaths of people in the incident and constituted a three-member inquiry committee, led by NCW Member Khushbu Sundar, to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the hooch tragedy rose to 63 as per Kallakurich District Collectorate data on Wednesday evening.

Currently, 78 people are undergoing treatment in total across hospitals in the state, out of which 48 are admitted to the Government Kallakurichi Medical College and Hospital and 66 have been discharged in total from the Government Kallakurichi Medical College, as per the hospital authorities.

At Puducherry, 09 people, in Salem District 18 people, in Royapetta Hospital Chennai one person and Villupuram District 02 people are undergoing treatment at the Government Hospitals. A total of 88 people have been discharged in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The total number of people affected by the consumption of illicit liquor has now increased to 229.