Bhopal, Oct 27 — Madhya Pradesh BJP president Hemant Khandelwal on Tuesday accused the Congress of politicising deaths linked to suspected spurious liquor incidents, hitting back at state Congress chief Jitu Patwari after he wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking intervention in the matter.
The exchange has intensified the political confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Congress over reported deaths in Dewas and Sagar districts, with the Opposition questioning the government's handling of the incidents and the BJP accusing it of exploiting a sensitive issue for political gains.
Khandelwal said the state government was following a zero-tolerance policy against the illegal drug trade and assured that strict action would be taken against those found responsible after an impartial investigation.
“Congress and Jitu Patwari are doing politics even over people's deaths. Death is tragic, whatever the cause. The state government is following a zero-tolerance policy against the illegal drug trade, and whoever is found guilty in the investigation will face action that will set an example,” Khandelwal said in a statement.
Patwari's letter to Shah has brought the issue to the Centre, placing the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh under further political scrutiny over the reported deaths and the enforcement of laws against illicit liquor.
The Congress has sought intervention from the Union Home Minister, while the BJP has challenged the Opposition to offer concrete suggestions instead of levelling allegations.
Khandelwal said the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Shah, was pursuing a national campaign to make India drug-free, with a target of eliminating the illegal drug trade by December 31, 2029.
He said the campaign involved dismantling illegal networks, intelligence-based action, inter-state coordination and measures to prevent substance abuse among young people.
“The resolve to make India drug-free is not merely a slogan but a national campaign linked to the future of young people and the safety of society. The public wants a system in which criminals are punished, illegal trade is stopped, and no family has to face such a tragedy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday transferred the superintendents of police and collectors of both Dewas and Sagar districts, where the suspected spurious liquor incidents were reported.
The administrative reshuffle came amid growing scrutiny of the government's response and the accountability of officials responsible for preventing the sale of illicit liquor.