A confrontation has erupted in Andhra Pradesh between the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the principal Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over the sale of liquor and consumption of illicit hooch within the state. The TDP has been attacking the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP authorities for allegedly promoting low-cost liquor manufacturers at exorbitant costs by means of the federal government retailers and inflicting “harm” to their customers.
In a bid to implement its ballot pledge for imposing complete prohibition within the state, the YSRCP authorities has restricted liquor gross sales and has taken over it since October 2019.
Last Monday, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly handed the AP Regulation of Trade in Indian Made Foreign Liquor, Foreign Liquor (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to be able to implement the liquor prohibition in phases. Refuting the TDP’s then, state excise minister Narayana Swamy made a counter-attack, charging that every one the liquor manufacturers got permission through the earlier TDP-led authorities and that there was no distinction of their high quality.
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The TDP has been alleging that the state authorities’s sale of latest manufacturers of low-cost liquor has led to the manufacture of illicit and spurious liquor, which is allegedly claiming lives. The TDP leaders have cited latest instances of deaths prompted allegedly as a consequence of consumption of licitlicit hooch in varied components of the state, together with not less than 26 deaths in Jangareddygudem in West Godavari district, to strengthen their.
The TDP has accused the YSRCP authorities of introducing “cheap liquor brands”, which, they cost, are offered at excessive costs and whose consumption is “harmful” for customers. They have labeled them “J-brands (Jagan brands)”, alleging that these manufacturers have been patronized by the state authorities.
Dismissing these and joint secretary, YSRCP joint secretary Karmuru Venkatareddy stated the Reddy authorities didn’t give permission to any new distillery because it got here to energy in 2019, terming the TDP’s allegation “malicious propaganda” towards it. “These new liquor manufacturers got permission throughout N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP authorities. All these so-called J-brands got permission throughout Naidu’s time period from 2014-19. Liquor manufacturers like President Medal, Governor Reserve, 999 Powerstar, and 999 Legend had been all there throughout Naidu’s time. Vishka Distillery belongs to TDP chief Ayyanna Patrudu, PMK Distilleries is owned by a relative of former TDP minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, and Sri Krishna Distilleries is owned by Adi Keshavulu Naidu and SPY Reddy, who belong to TDP,” he alleged.
Led by its common secretary Nara Lokesh Naidu, the TDP’s legislators took out a rally outdoors the Assembly final Monday, demanding an finish to the sale of “all harmful cheap liquor J-brands” within the state. The TDP MLAs and MLCs held placards, elevating the slogans “Kalthi Sara CM down down (spurious liquor CM, down, down)” and “Naatu Sara CM down down (illicit liquor CM, down, down)”.
“We then washed the picture of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy with the J-liquor manufacturers as a result of the CM is jeopardising harmless lives and committing multi-crore liquor fraud,” alleged Lokesh Naidu.
The TDP legislators additionally pressed for a judicial inquiry into alleged liquor deaths, demanding that every one “illicit liquor dens” be shut. “Stringent motion needs to be taken towards the YSRCP leaders who’re working the liquor dens. While the CM and his pals are amassing 1000’s of crore by dealing in low-cost manufacturers of liquor, the YSRCP native leaders are making fast cash by promoting illicit liquor,” he alleged.
Claiming that the manufacture and consumption of illicit liquor have elevated underneath the YSRCP rule, Lokesh Naidu additionally stated that in Jagan’s personal constituency Pulivendula, over 300 illicit liquor instances had been registered in 2021. “The poor persons are turning to illicit liquor as they had been unable to pay excessive charges for J-brands of low-cost liquor. They are falling sick and are shedding their lives. If illicit liquor causes prompt dying, a budget liquor manufacturers kill slowly by harming liver, kidneys, and many others,” he charged.
Former TDP minister Nakka Ananda Babu stated that low-cost liquor was offered at Rs 60-Rs 70 per 180 ml bottle through the Naidu regime, whose charges shot up, he claimed, to Rs 250-Rs 270 underneath the Reddy dispensation. The YSRCP authorities has just lately diminished these charges.
The TDP leaders have alleged that “new cheap liquor brands introduced by the state government like Old Timer, President’s Medal, Champion, Green Choice, and others which are harmful for health, are from new distilleries owned by YSRCP leaders”.
TDP Politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu demanded that the Reddy authorities disclose the names of distilleries from which such liquor manufacturers had been being procured. “Why had been these manufacturers being purchased with out releasing tenders? Details on the standard of those manufacturers and likewise related experiences needs to be revealed,” he stated.
Hitting again on the TDP, YSRCP MLA Ok Parthasarathy stated, “TDP leaders are deceptive the general public by making false allegations on liquor manufacturers and are defaming the federal government, though the present authorities did not make any adjustments to liquor manufacturing coverage or supplied any contemporary permits.” He also charged, “All the alleged J-brands got permits through the Naidu authorities in 2018, together with President Medal, Governor Reserve, Napoleon, Seventh Heaven, and but the TDP is finishing up this propaganda.”
The excise minister stated the YSRCP authorities is dedicated to prohibition of liquor in a phased method and that CM Reddy was fulfilling his promise. “Through the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB), within the final two years from May 2020 to March 2022 a complete of 92,766 liquor instances had been booked and 69,178 folks arrested, whereas 12,40,635 liters of spurious liquor had been seized. Liquor manufacturing within the state is in keeping with the stipulated guidelines, and Opposition is creating pointless ruckus within the state,” Narayana Swamy added.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
