Hooch tragedy: Condemnable that Punjab CM is busy in Delhi when people are dying in his home district, says SAD
SAD’s chief spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler said Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has not even found the time to visit the 21 families whose loved ones have died in the hooch tragedy.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said that it was condemnable that Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann was busy in Delhi at a time when 20 people had died in his home district after consuming spurious liquor.
“Twenty people have died after consuming spurious liquor in the CM’s home district Sangrur but so far, the kingpins have not been arrested. What’s more condemnable is that instead of being with his people in this hour of crisis, CM Mann is serving Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s interests in the Capital,” said Badal during his visit to Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s ancestral village in Khatkar Kalan.
At a press conference in Chandigarh, SAD’s chief spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler sought excise minister Harpal Cheema’s resignation stating, “Bhagwant Mann was prompt in seeking the excise minister’s resignation when the Tarn Taran hooch tragedy took place under Capt Amarinder Singh regime. But this time around, he is tight-lipped.”
“Forget asking his excise minister to step down, the CM has not even found the time to visit the 21 families whose loved ones have died in the hooch tragedy. It is condemnable that instead of comforting the victim families of his home district, the CM is busy with the Delhi ‘tamasha’ (show) to please his party supremo.”
Kler accused the AAP government of shielding the firm which had allegedly supplied spurious liquor to the area. “During official briefings, police removed BCL company’s labels from the bottles recovered from the spot. This shows the firm is close to the AAP government. It was given a licence to produce ethanol in December 2022.”
Demanding a judicial probe into the case, the SAD leader said, “This government cannot be trusted to take action against the liquor company.”
