Chennai, May 15 (IANS): Tamil Nadu opposition leader and AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K . Palaniswami (EPS) has demanded Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's resignation over the death of 12 people due to consumption of spurious liquor in Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts.

While speaking to media persons at Tiruchi, Palaniswami, who is also former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, said that the deaths due to spurious liquor could have been prevented if the state government under Stalin had taken proper action. He also called for the resignation of Tamil Nadu Excise and Prohibition Minister, Senthil Balaji.

He said that he had spoken in the Tamil Nadu assembly regarding the increase in spurious liquor sale in the state and added that the government did not take his statement seriously.

Palaniswami said, "It is said that many people have died due to consumption of spurious liquor in two districts of Tamil Nadu. Law and order has totally failed in Tamil Nadu and the government could have prevented the deaths due to spurious liquor consumption, if it had taken proper action earlier."

He said that even as the government had claimed to shut down 500 TASMAC liquor outlets, it had opened 100 new outlets. EPS also said that the sale of cannabis is continuing in Tamil Nadu and added that even after government had announced 'Operation Ganja 2.0 and Operation Ganja 3.0', nothing had happened.

The former chief minister said that he would be visiting the families of the deceased and will soon meet those hosptialised due to the consumption of spurious liquor.

It may be noted that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has already announced Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased and an amount of Rs 50,000 to those who are admitted in hospitals after drinking spurious liquor.