Welfare schemes are our brands
Condemns cheap liquor allegations
Ap Cm Ys Jagan on TDP’s criticism on liquor brands
Amaravati, Mar 23: Asserting that welfare schemes are the brands of YSRCP Government, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that President Medal, Boom-Boom beer, Governor Reserve, Power star 999 are the brands of Chandrababu Naidu and coined them as C and L brands.
Rounding off the short discussion on liquor policy in the State Assembly here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister dismissed the opposition’s allegations, stating that the government did not give permission to any new distillery or brewery since it came to power in 2019. He opined that the alleged J-brands were given permission during Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government, where almost 254 brands were brought. In regard to distilleries, out of 20 existing distilleries in State 14 were given permissions during TDP rule and seven of them were permitted between 2014-19, even while acting as an interim Chief Minister.
CM highlighted the TDP leaders liquor business
He said that Liquor brands like the President Medal, Governor Reserve, 999 Powerstar, 999 Legend, Boom Boom beer, ACB, Seventh Heaven are all part of Chandranna’s Kanuka. Also, the Chief Minister highlighted the role of TDP leaders in liquor business, where Vishka Distillery belongs to TDP leader 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 Distilleries by SPY Reddy, who all belong to TDP. He opined that backstabbing politics is the trademark of Chandrababu Naidu and he was acting the same way even on the liquor issue.
No cheap liquor in the state
The Chief Minister affirmed that there is no cheap liquor in the State and all the liquor that is being supplied is getting processed and distilled from licensed distilleries after going through various tests by both the company and the government. ‘Chandrababu, TDP and their own media houses are the only cheap brands in the State’ he added on a lighter note. Liquor rates have been increased to keep the poor people away from consumption and the government has taken over retail trade through the AP State Beverages Corporation and reduced the number of shops from 4,380 to 2,934 and clarified that no changes were made to liquor manufacturing policy. While the current government is bringing 16 new medical colleges, 16 new districts, the previous government gave permission to 14 new distilleries and 254 brands.
Opposition trying to portray Gudem deaths
Speaking on the deaths of Jangareddygudem, the Chief minister said that the opposition has been deliberately trying to portray them as if they were due to consumption of illicit liquor, while the fact is that most of the deaths were due to natural reasons. ‘If the same liquor from the same distilleries were consumed during the TDP regime, it is a health drink, but in the current government it is spurious, illicit and dangerous. All the poison lies in the hearts ’ opined the Chief Minister. He also stated that there were no brands in the name of three capitals, special status, which is all a cheap political stunt made by the opposition to mislead public.
Exposing the evil nature of opposition leaders, the Chief Minister said that TDP leaders are trying to stop the implementation of welfare schemes that benefit women with jealousy, by bringing down the State revenue. He said that the government has brought SEB to tackle the illicit liquor menace and registered over one lakh cases in just two and half years, while the previous government had only registered 1.82 lakh cases in their five-year rule. Also he said that all the previous governments failed to tackle cheap liquor, while the current government is the only one to curb it and shall continue it in the future too, despite the polluted politics from opposition.
