Not meeting Home Minister in connection with hooch deaths: Palaniswami

AIADMK's Edappadi K. Palaniswami denies seeking CBI probe into Kallakurichi hooch deaths, criticizes DMK government's actions.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday denied media reports that he was going to meet Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch deaths.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with AIADMK functionaries at Edappadi in Salem district, Mr. Palaniswami pointed out that his party had staged a fast seeking a CBI probe into the hooch tragedy. However, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had told the Assembly that a CB-CID probe was enough. “Mr. Stalin said that during the AIADMK regime, we did not order a CBI probe into the deaths of a father and son at Sattankulam police station. However, that case was actually transferred to the CBI by the AIADMK government,” he pointed out.

Mr. Palaniswami alleged that under pressure from the government, the then Kallakurichi Collector had attempted to suppress information on the hooch deaths, which “became the reason for more deaths”. The AIADMK leader said there were media reports two days ago that five people were admitted to hospital after allegedly consuming illicit arrack in Tiruppur district. “This shows the government failed to control illicit arrack. The DMK government did not allow AIADMK to raise the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy in the Assembly,” Mr. Palaniswami added.

He pointed out that last year too, after the hooch tragedies in Chengalpattu and Villupuram, Mr. Stalin had said that manufacture and sale of illicit liquor would be dealt with an iron hand, but no action was taken. A week before the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, the local AIADMK MLA had urged the Superintendent of Police to take action against illicit arrack. “For the past two-and-a-half years, every time, while speaking to the media and in the Assembly, we have highlighted the drug menace in the State,” he said.

Regarding the three new criminal laws implemented from Monday, Mr. Palaniswami said that since English is the link language, these laws should be named in English.

Accusing the DMK of double standards on NEET, he said the party’s MPs must speak up in Parliament to abolish NEET. He felt that education should be brought under the State list. “The Union Government is staging a drama over the Sengol issue. As far as the AIADMK is concerned, people’s issues are important,” Mr. Palaniswami added.