Hooch tragedy victims not freedom fighters: PIL in Madras High Court argues against Rs 10L compensation

The victims were not freedom fighters or social activists who have lost their lives for the cause of the general public or for the sake of the society and had committed an illegal act by consuming spurious liquor, the submitted PIL argues.

Chennai: A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Madras High Court to strike down the Tamil Nadu government order providing Rs 10 lakh compensation to all the victims of the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.

When the PIL filed by Mohamed Ghouse came up for hearing on Friday, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shafiq orally said the compensation amount was on the higher side and posted after two weeks, further hearing of the case.

The victims were not freedom fighters or social activists who have lost their lives for the cause of the general public or for the sake of the society and had committed an illegal act by consuming spurious liquor, he submitted.

According to Ghouse, consuming illicit liquor was an illegal act. The state need not have pity on those who consumed illicit liquor and thereby committed an illegal act and consequently succumbed to such an act.

He said solatium should be given only to the victims of accidents and not to those who have committed an illegal act for their own pleasure.

The order of compensation to all the hooch tragedy victims was unreasonable and arbitrary and the consumers of illicit liquor must be denied the compensation and they must not be treated as victims, he added.

The petitioner said it was not clear and justified on what basis the state government was granting a lesser solatium to victims of fire or any other accidents and at the same time granting a huge amount to hooch tragedy victims.