-Cases will be filed over cheap liquor menace: ex Minister
-Liquor revenue flowing into Tadepalli treasury
AMARAVATI: TDP former Minister Nakka Ananda Babu on Saturday urged the Central Government to intervene and prevent the ruling YSRCP leaders from continuing their massive liquor frauds in Andhra Pradesh.
Ananda Babu asserted that the TDP would approach the courts to intensify its agitation against Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and his party’s cheap liquor and illicit liquor dens.
Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader termed it shameful on the part of the CM not to implement phased prohibition even three years after coming to power. The ruling YCP leaders were filling their personal treasuries while countless families were getting destroyed due to the liquor menace.
Ananda Babu said that the Chief Minister and his party men were looting Rs. 16,500 Cr every year by selling cheap liquor, illicit liquor and drugs. The CM has set new targets to increase this looting to Rs. 20,000 Cr this year. Whereas, the overall liquor revenue target was just Rs. 6,000 Cr during the Chandrababu regime.
The TDP leader strongly objected to the YCP Government mortgaging the liquor income for over 20 years for getting Rs. 25,000 Cr of loans. Cheap liquor sold at Rs 60 to Rs. 70 per bottle during the TDP regime but now its rates went up to Rs. 250 to Rs. 270. Like nowhere else in the country, substandard and poor quality liquor brands were being sold in the State.
Ananda Babu termed it as unfortunate that country arrack, which was stopped over 40 years ago, was brought back under the Jagan regime. This had become a cottage industry for the ruling party leaders. Over 40 people died due to this liquor menace at Jangareddygudem recently. Jagan Reddy should explain why the SEB filed 12 FIRs and arrested 22 persons if the illicit liquor fatalities were natural deaths.
The TDP leader said that all the harmful cheap liquor being sold in AP now was being bought from the distilleries of CM’s benamis. Established companies’ brands were not being sold in the State. All the income, coming from J-brands, was reaching the Tadepalli treasury by evening. The Centre should order a judicial inquiry into cheap liquor brands of the YSRCP.
