Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) organizing secretary RS Bharathi has sparked fresh controversy with her insensitive comments on the Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy.
Speaking at a party event, Bharati said that the DMK has won consecutive elections since 2018 when deputy chief minister Udayanidhi Starling took office.
He praised the DMK for its methodical way of functioning and said the opposition parties were trying to use certain lapses in law and order as propaganda against the ruling party. It was then that he mentioned the fake wine tragedy that occurred on June 19, 2024, which resulted in the deaths of 68 people. He used the word “koluthu poi” which means stupid for those who drink strong liquor.
“You will not forget it. Vikravandi announced a by-election. We were working in Vikravandi when the tragedy happened in Kalakurich. ‘Koluthu poi’, some people drank fake liquor and died,” he said.
“I have to speak like this because there is no other way, because whoever dies… we have to cry, there is no other way. They were all stupid and drank (adulterated alcohol) and we had to take various actions,” Ba Latty said.
After the Kalakurich tragedy in Vikravandi district, the Tamil Nadu government announced a condolence payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families affected by the incident. Several government officials, including the district collector and superintendent of police, were also transferred out of the district.
Bharati also blamed regional parties Patali Makkal Kutch (PMK) leaders S Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss and AIADMK leader Edappadi K Pala Nisami tried to make Karakulic an electoral issue. He also said that these leaders were trying to use the murder of BSP state chief Armstrong to turn it into a political issue, but DMK won Vikravan by 62,000 votes due to Udayanidhi Stalin’s candidacy Dee.
This is not the first time Barati has used Karakulic in political rhetoric. In late June, Bharati called the incident a “planned conspiracy by Annamalai”. The Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party chief had then filed a defamation case against Bharathi.
Bharati also reacted adversely to the Madras High Court’s decision to hand over the investigation into the tragedy to the Central Bureau of Investigation.