Hooch tragedy: Priyanka Gandhi slams UP, Uttarakhand govts; demands compensation for victims

Expressing shock over the deaths, Priyanka Gandhi asked BJP governments in both states to take stern action against those responsible for the hooch tragedy and blamed them for allowing the illicit liquor industry to flourish.

Expressing shock over the deaths, Priyanka Gandhi asked BJP governments in both states to take stern action against those responsible for the hooch tragedy and blamed them for allowing the illicit liquor industry to flourish.

NEW DELHI: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday issued a statement on the death of nearly 100 people in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand due to consumption of spurious liquor. Expressing shock over the deaths, she asked BJP governments in both states to take stern action against those responsible for the hooch tragedy and blamed them for allowing the illicit liquor industry to flourish. "I am shocked and very sad to know that more than 100 people have been killed in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and the death toll continues to rise," Priyanka Gandhi said in a statement. "It is hard to believe that the illicit liquor industry in the two states is operating without the support of the respective state governments. "No amount of condemnation is enough for this heart-wrenching incident," she said. "I hope that the BJP governments will take strict action against the criminals and appropriate compensation and provision of government jobs will be made for the families of the deceased," added Gandhi, who recently took over as the AICC General Secretary in charge of east Uttar Pradesh. The death toll in the hooch tragedy has increased to 90 and over 200 people have been arrested so far in a police crackdown, officials said on Sunday.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi issues a statement on the death of over 100 people in #UttarPradesh and Uttarakhand due to consumption of spurious liquor, asks BJP governments in both states to take stern action against those responsible for the #hooch tragedy. pic.twitter.com/mIGlYjetGS

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) February 10, 2019

Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP government on Sunday over the deaths in the tragedy.     He said, "The opposition has been notifying the government about such activities, but they did not act as some of its leaders are involved. The truth is that without the backing of the government, such businesses cannot be carried out. The BJP should accept the fact that they cannot run the state." The Bahujan Samaj Party, the SP's alliance partner for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, also blamed the BJP governments in UP and Uttarakhand for the deaths. BSP chief Mayawati in a statement said that both the state governments were "callous" in their approach towards banning sale of spurious liquor and demanded a CBI probe into the tragedy. She said till the CBI probe was complete, excise ministers of both the states should be asked to step down to ensure free and fair inquiry. Mayawati said bootleggers who are running a parallel administration right under the nose of the authorities and selling spurious liquor.