Alarming rise in ganja smuggling, suicides: Chinarajappa
CM focusing on liquor income, YCP leaders on ganja income
AMARAVATI: TDP former home minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa blamed the YSRCP Government for the latest mention in the Parliament about the rising ganja cases and suicides in Andhra Pradesh.
Chinarajappa deplored that the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs has stated in the House that the ganja smuggling in AP has increased by three times in the past three years. Over 1.06 lakh kg ganja was seized from smuggling gangs in AP in 2020 as against 33,900 kg in 2018. There were reports about increased ganja smuggling from AP to all other States in the country now.
Addressing a press conference , the TDP leader said AP was now disgraced on the floor of the Parliament itself because of the Jagan Reddy Government’s total failure in drug control measures. The ruling YSRCP leaders were making easy money out of ganja smuggling. They were just following in the footsteps of Jagan Reddy, who promised prohibition but now getting Rs. 20,000 Cr revenue from liquor in the State.
Chinarajappa said the Union Minister of State had given alarming figures about the ganja smuggling in AP. In 2018, over 175 persons were convicted in the ganja smuggling cases. But, just 22 persons were convicted in 2020. This was enough to show how the ruling YSRCP leaders were saving the ganja gangs and protecting their interests for quick money.
The TDP leader expressed concern that the police officers were not keeping required checks and also not filing cases against ganja smugglers. The police collusion with the ruling party gangsters was causing huge damage to the society. Over 385 ganja-related suicides took place in AP in 2020 as against just 196 in 2018.
Chinarajappa said from top to bottom, the Chief Minister, his MLAs and his party leaders were cheating and betraying the people in every possible manner. Jagan Reddy promised prohibition in a phased manner but he was increasing liquor revenue in a phased manner. The CM did not hesitate to mortgage even the drinkers of liquors for getting massive multi-crore loans.
The TDP leader deplored that the law and order deteriorated to the lowest point under the YCP rule. The opposition TDP leaders have cautioned about the increasing ganja smuggling but the YSRCP rulers only focused on filing false cases out of political vengeance. As a result, the ganja smuggling and suicides have increased in AP by alarming proportions.
Chinarajappa said Vizag was known as a thriving peaceful city till 2019 but now it came to be known as the ganja supplier to all other States. Social and family harmony was badly hit in AP because of ganja and liquor gangs. Domestic harassment, molestations and atrocities on women have risen sharply. Cheap liquor and country arracks have damaged the health of drinkers to a great extent.
