-Tadepalli treasury targets Rs 10,000 Cr liquor income
-CM got Rs. 7,000 Cr liquor commissions already
AMARAVATI: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLAs on Thursday slammed Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for using his ‘benamis’ to run his most lucrative cheap liquor business from the level of distilleries to transportation and sale of J-brands.
The TDP MLAs said through his massive illegal liquor empire, Jagan Reddy was aiming at collecting Rs. 10,000 Cr for his Tadepalli treasury in his five-year term. Already, in the past 32 months of his rule, the CM had got over Rs. 7,000 Cr from liquor commissions.
TDLP deputy leader K. Atchannaidu, along with party legislators, addressed a press conference at the party central office, when he criticised the CM’s comments on the use of the Government liquor income for welfare. What was the use to give Amma Vodi after killing her husband with toxic J-brands? How would pensions save families once their sons succumbed to hazardous liquor?
Atchannaidu refuted the YCP allegations, saying that Chandrababu Naidu gave permissions for distilleries after 2014 under peculiar circumstances. Before bifurcation, molasses was produced in Andhra but distilleries were present in Telangana. So, Naidu permitted distilleries in AP so that the State would get more income.
The TDP leader said that after coming to power, the J-benamis had occupied all the distilleries. They had a total monopoly from manufacturing to sale. The situation was alarming and pitiable that the average AP consumer had no choice in brand selection and they had to buy and consume what brands would be sold at the J-liquor shops.
Atchannaidu asserted that Hyderabad, Amaravati and industries were the CBN brands while vendetta killings, Viveka murder and mindless corruptin were Jagan Reddy’s J-brands. Fighting for youth and jobs was the Lokesh brand while fatal liquor bottles were Jagan Reddy brands. By aiming at Rs. 16,500 Cr liquor income in 2022-`23, the Jagan regime would have to sell Rs. 30,000 Cr of cheap liquor in the State.
The TDP leader asked how Jagan Reddy could cover up his liquor commissions when excise revenue went up from Rs. 11,569 Cr in 2014-`15 to Rs. 24,714 Cr in 2021-`22. This was in total reversal of Jagan Reddy’s assurance during his first Delhi visit that he would implement phased prohibition. In 2015, Jagan said he would bring in total prohibition. In the 2019 poll campaign, he said liquor would be available only in 5 star hotels.
TDP MLAs Anagani Satya Prasad, Yeluri Sambasiva Rao, M. Rama Raju and others spoke.
