Kallakurichi hooch tragedy: 'Time will soon come' for TN CM to answer, says Palaniswami

Kallakurichi: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has an obligation to give an explanation for the spurious liquor tragedy in Kallakurichi that claimed over 50 lives and said "time will soon come" for the chief minister to reply.

Leading a massive state-wide protest against the ruling DMK dispensation from here, Palaniswami, a former chief minister, said the people’s state of disorder and the turbulent scenes being witnessed in Karunapuram over the distilling and sale of spurious liquor, deserved a response from the chief minister.

He said his party cadres were prevented throughout Tamil Nadu from participating in the protests against the ruling DMK for its failure to contain the illicit arrack in the state that led to the deaths.

"Just as one can’t stop the wind, the DMK can’t prevent the AIADMK members nor the turbulence in people’s minds over the hooch tragedy," Palaniswami, clad in a black shirt, said.

He alleged that his party members were prevented from taking part in the peaceful democratic protests across the state and the stage that was erected in Kallakurichi for today’s event was removed to scuttle the opposition party’s bid to raise the issue.

Similar protests, which were also meant to demand the resignation of Stalin, were held in various district headquarters and the protest in Chennai was led by former state Minister D Jayakumar.