TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Thursday said his party would continue to disrupt the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council till the government released a roadmap for implementation of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s election promise of total prohibition.
Addressing the media along with other TDP legislators, Mr. Lokesh said the agitation would stop only when the Chief Minister explained the details of the deaths in Jangareddyguem in West Godavari district. He accused Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy of misleading the Legislature by claiming that the deaths had occurred due to natural causes.
The Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) had filed 1,129 cases in just five days. Official reports indicated the existence of 18,000 illicit liquor dens in the State and booking of thousands of non-duty paid (NDP) liquor cases every day, he said, adding that “yet, Mr. Jagan claims that there is no illicit liquor in the State.”
He said the privilege motion moved by the TDP was rejected by the Chairman of the Council without giving any valid reason. Instead of clarifying on the “illicit liquor deaths,” the ruling party leaders moved a reverse privilege motion against the TDP, he said.
He said implementation of prohibition in a phased manner was a one of the essential components of the YSRCP’s election manifesto. “Now, Mr. Jagan is not ready to debate the issue on the Floor of the House. Instead, his government has set a target to earn a revenue of ₹24,000 crore from liquor sale this year,” he said.
