Jangareddygudem Deaths Rock Assembly

The serial deaths in Jangareddygudem led to chaotic scenes in the Assembly and suspension of five TDP MLAs too.

Over 15 people died in just a couple of days in Jangareddygudem. While the reason behind the deaths is yet being probed, the ruling YCP and opposition TDP traded barbs against each other in the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly. While the TDP alleged that the deaths were due to spurious liquor and also accused the ruling party leaders of having a role in it, the YCP counterattacked the opposition and said that it was unnecessarily raising a hue and cry over natural deaths.

The TDP insisted on a discussion on the serial deaths in the Assembly. Soon as the meeting started, the TDP leaders rushed into the Speaker’s podium and raised slogans against the government, despite finance minister Buggana Rajendranath saying that they were ready for the discussion after the Q&A session. However, the TDP leaders remained unrelenting following which the Assembly was adjourned.

After the Assembly resumed too, the TDP members created a ruckus and the Speaker suspended MLAs Atchannaidu, Buchhaiah Chowdary, Payyavula Keshav, Ramanaidu and DBV Swamy. Speaker Tammineni Sitaram said the suspension would hold good till the end of the Assembly budget session.

Following the suspension of their party MLAs, their colleagues too walked out of the Assembly and took out a rally with placards that read that the government should own the responsibility for the deaths due to spurious liquor. The TDP leaders wondered what had happened to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s plan to implement prohibition. They blamed Jagan for the sudden deaths and also demanded compensation to the victims’ families.

West Godavari district collector said that awareness camps would be held in the villages on the ill-effects of consuming illicitly distilled liquor.

Replying to the allegations of the TDP, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that they were baseless. Speaking in the Assembly, Jagan asked why would a government promote spurious and ID liquor. It is just with an ulterior motive that Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu and his party men are blaming the YCP government, he said.

Under normal conditions too, there will be 60-70 deaths occurring naturally every month in the state. The manufacture of ID liquor happens here and there, under any government’s rule. It existed under the TDP regime and I do not disagree that it is existing even now. To check the illegal activity, State Enforcement Bureau (SEB) and special police forces have been put on the task. Strict orders have been issued to eliminate the illegal activity, he clarified.

In fact, the YCP government is trying to bring down the consumption of liquor and move towards prohibition. After the YCP came to power, around 43,000 belt shops have been closed down across the state.

Moreover, there used to be 4,340 permit rooms adjacent to the liquor shops during the TDP rule but soon as YCP assumed power, permissions for all the permit rooms have been scrapped, he averred.