AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has said that she was shocked and sad by the news of more than 100 people being killed after consuming spurious liquor in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand recently.
Priyanka, who was recently appointed as the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East, said that she expected the BJP government in both the states to take strict action against culprits.
She said, “I am shocked and sad that more than 100 people have died after consuming spurious liquor in Uttarakhand and Saharanpur and Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. However much you condemn this incident, it will not be enough. It’s beyond imagination that illicit liquor trade was flourishing at such a level under the patronage of governments in these two states.”
Priyanka said that she expected the BJP governments in two states to take strict action against the culprits. “I hope that the BJP governments will take strict actions against criminals and announce appropriate compensation and jobs for families of those affected.”
This is the first big statement by Priyanka since making a formal entry into politics. The statement by Priyanka on hooch-related tragedy came a day before she is expected to tour Uttar Pradesh. During her four-day tour of Uttar Pradesh, she will be accompanied by Congress President Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh West, Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Among those 100 killed in hooch tragedy, 38 people have died in Saharanpur, 18 in Meerut and 10 people have died in Kushinagar. 26 people are reported to have died in Haridwar and Roorkee regions of Uttarakhand.
Faced with widespread condemnation, the Saharanpur Police has swung into action and arrested as many as 30 people, who were allegedly in hooch business. They have also suspended three inspectors and two constables.