VIJAYAWADA: The Jangareddygudem deaths continued to rock the State Assembly on Wednesday with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launching a broadside against TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu and his party colleagues for “distorting facts” to bring disrepute to the State government, even as Opposition MLAs vociferously demanded a debate on the issue.
He was referring to the “natural deaths” in West Godavari’s Jangareddygudem, which the TDP has been claiming as “hooch tragedy.” Addressing the House at the conclusion of a brief discussion on liquor policy, Jagan asserted that there was no cheap liquor in the State. The available Indian Made Foreign Liquor was being distilled by licensed distilleries in Andhra Pradesh.
Stating that his government had not permitted new brands or new distilleries and breweries, Jagan said the existing ones were allowed by the previous governments, including that of the TDP. “It was Naidu’s government that gave permissions to 254 brands, such as Boom, President Medal, Governor’s Choice, Power Star 999, ACB, 999 Legend, Crazy Doll, Cliffhanger, and for seven distilleries, he said, and described them as “Chandranna Kaunka.”
Manipulation and distortion of facts have become Naidu’s trademark, the chief minister taunted. “He backstabbed his father-in-law NT Rama Rao, leading to his death, and every year he pays floral tributes (to the deceased),” Jagan said. Asserting that there was no cheap liquor in the State, he termed TDP and Naidu the only cheap brand and person, if any, in Andhra.
“There are 20 distilleries in the State and none of them were started by our government. Before 1982, there were only five and during Chandrababu Naidu’s regime, as many as 14 distilleries were permitted, of which seven were permitted during 2014-19,” he said.
The YSRC government gave permission for 16 medical colleges and 13 new districts and not 14 distilleries and 254 liquor brands, he said, adding that Naidu’s name should be changed to “Sara” instead of “Nara” for promoting liquor.He further said several distilleries were being owned by TDP leaders or their relatives.
“The distilleries that existed during the TDP regime are still continuing, producing the same liquor following national standards, and the liquor produced undergoes stringent inspection. There is no need for the government to be in favour of or against a particular brand. All it is concerned with is whether the licensed distilleries are producing liquor adhering to set quality standards,” he said.
The chief minister refuted Naidu’s claim that SGS Lab had reported dangerous substances in liquor. He presented the lab report saying it had not certified any samples having toxic substances. He also lashed out at TDP for resorting to trolling fake labels like Special Status and Three Capitals with the only motive of bringing disrepute to the government. He said it was clearly the work of a criminal brain.
The chief minister said his government hiked the liquor price to discourage its consumption. But following feedback that it had led to illicit liquor production, the prices were later slashed. “It was our government, which removed 43,000 belt shops, reduced the number of liquor shops to 2,934 from 4,380, removed permit rooms and took over the running of liquor shops to ensure control over them,” he said.
Speaking on the deaths in Jangareddygudem, the chief minister said the opposition has been deliberately trying to portray them as if they were due to consumption of illicit liquor, while most deaths were due to natural reasons. He presented video clippings, purportedly of the families of the deceased, stating the deaths were natural and not linked to hooch.
TDP fires back
TDP MLC Nara Lokesh said YSRC brought in 60% of hazardous liquor brands after 2019