Apathy and incompetence of Assam govt behind hooch tragedy: Rahul

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on the hooch tragedy in Assam with its president Rahul Gandhi blaming the "apathy and incompetence" of the state's BJP government for it.

"The apathy and incompetence of the Assam Government has resulted in the tragic deaths of over 140 people with scores of victims in hospital, poisoned by toxic alcohol," Gandhi tweeted on Sunday afternoon. State government officials put the death toll at 124, with 331 persons undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Later at a press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera took aims at Modi saying he is busy giving speeches all the time for "politics" but has not spoken even a few words on the deaths of so many people after consuming spurious liquor. "Politics can be done with speeches but government cannot be run by it," he said.

He also targeted Modi over the violence in the BJP-ruled Arunachal Pradesh amid protests against the state government's decision to give permanent resident certificates to six communities.

In a broad swipe at Modi, Khera said, "He keeps travelling from morning to evening, changing clothes three-four times. But the work for which he was elected he does not do, nor does (BJP) chief ministers do. Why are you silent on such tragedies?"

"This government is missing in action...We condemn his silence and incompetence," he added. Winning elections have become his only goal but there is no governance, he said and sought to know what action has been taken against the liquor mafia behind the tragedy in Assam.