Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has hit out at the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for politicising deaths in West Godavari district’s Jangareddygudem town. He said that the opposition should refrain from spreading false propaganda about illicit liquor.

Before the commencement of the general discussion on the Budget in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, the Chief Minister said, “18 deaths have been registered in the municipality. The death rate is estimated at 2 per cent across the country and even in our state, which means at least 90 people die naturally due to illness, old age, or accidents.”

13,000 CASES ON ILLICT LIQUOR, SAYS CM

He added that the TDP has been distorting the facts and politicising natural deaths. He said orders were given to take stringent measures to curb illicit liquor in the state and asserted that the state government is against illicit liquor and orders have been issued to curb it.

“More than 13,000 cases were registered against those involved in illicit liquor and it was done to curb illicit liquor,” said the CM.

The deputy Chief Minister, Alla Krishna Srinivas, said, he along with officials, on the direction of the Chief Minister, have visited the victims’ families in Jangareddygudem and directed them to take necessary measures and that the TDP has been making baseless allegations for political mileage.

The minister criticised TDP chief, Chandrababu Naidu, for visiting Jangareddygudem only to politicise the deaths and questioned if the opposition leader had gone to console the victims or to show their strength.

TDP ALLEGES INTIMIDATION BY YSRCP

On the other hand, TDP national president and former CM N Chandrababu Naidu visited Jangareddygudem in West Godavari on Monday and met the families whose breadwinners died allegedly due to consumption of adulterated liquor.

“Jagan Mohan Reddy should bear responsibility for all the 26 hooch deaths that took place in Jangareddygudem. An ex gratia of Rs 1 Cr was paid to victims’ families after the LG Polymers gas leak in Visakhapatnam. Similarly, Rs 1 Cr compensation should be paid to each of the bereaved families in Jangareddygudem also,” he demanded.

Chandrababu Naidu alleged the local Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders made midnight visits to the victims’ families and threatened them not to attend his meeting in Jangareddygudem.

Naidu also questioned the police and said that they were afraid to confront the illicit liquor mafia because the ruling party leaders were involved in this.