Chandrababu Naidu demands ex gratia of Rs 1 crore each to kin of deceased

Jangareddygudem: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday slammed the Chief Minister for the hooch deaths in the State accusing the government of resorting to profiteering in liquor business leading to illicit liquor deaths.

The TDP chief visited Jangareddygudem in West Godavari district and called on the families whose breadwinners died due to consumption of adulterated liquor. The affected families narrated to Naidu how their family heads had fallen fatally ill after illicit liquor started flowing all over in their area ever since the YSRCP came to power.

Addressing a meeting here on Monday after meeting the families of victims, Chandrababu Naidu said Jagan Mohan Reddy should bear responsibility for all the 26 hooch deaths. He pointed out that an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore was paid to victims' families after the LG Polymers gas leak in Visakhapatnam. Similarly, Rs 1 crore compensation should be paid to each of the bereaved families in Jangareddygudem also, he demanded.

Naidu asserted that it was only after Jagan Mohan Reddy brought in abnormally priced cheap liquor brands that the poor had been falling victims to the cheap liquor. He said the government was following double standards in implementing prohibition in the State, hence the deaths.

Naidu also accused Jagan of lying to the people. These deaths were not out of natural causes, he said. The TDP chief warned of a revolt by women in the State if the YSRCP regime remained arrogant and continued its mis-governance recalling the dogged fight of the Amaravati womenfolk. Moreover, the government itself was promoting fatal liquor brands under new names.

He warned the "errant officials" that if the TDP came back to power then it would prosecute all erring officials.