YSR Congress Party leader and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday maintained that the liquor policy introduced by the government from 2019 to 2024 was transparent and corruption-free.
Jagan slammed X for indulging in large-scale corruption through liquor syndicates and turning Andhra Pradesh into a hub of liquor mafia.
He vowed to lead a people’s movement against these policies if they are not immediately corrected.
Mr. Jagan alleged that Naidu’s policies have led to a huge surge in illicit profits at the expense of the people.
He said Mr. Naidu had privatized government-run liquor outlets and handed them over to allies, leading to soaring prices of liquor far above the maximum retail price (MRP).
He pointed out that under the Naidu government, 14 out of 20 distilleries were approved, while under YSRCP rule, no distillery was approved, highlighting the stark contrast in policy approaches.
Mr. Jagan further said that Naidu ministers and MLAs are using coercive tactics to control the liquor trade and levying fees to manipulate the market.
He said a syndicate had been formed to inflate prices and generate illicit profits to benefit Mr Naidu’s associates.
He criticized Naidu’s liquor policy for reducing the quality of alcohol while making it more widely available in the state. YS Jagan said the Naidu government was prioritizing increasing sales and taking bribes from distilleries over protecting public health.
The former chief minister pointed out that the previous YSRCP government had imposed strict rules on liquor sales, reduced the number of liquor shops and closed belt shops dominated the market.
He also highlighted that 15,000 jobs had been lost in government liquor outlets due to Naidu’s privatization efforts and questioned the chief minister’s claims to create jobs and take care of the welfare of the state.
