The harsh comments made by Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker Tammineni Sitaram on the rampant flow of illicit liquor in the state during the lockdown period came as a big embarrassment to the Jagan Mohan Reddy government in the state.
Sitaram alleged that country arrack has been flowing unabashedly all over the state, notwithstanding the orders issued by the Jagan government to strictly enforce prohibition in the state despite a sharp plunge in the revenues of the state.
Expressing anger at the excise and prohibition department, Sitaram wondered whether the department authorities were in deep slumber.
“Brewing of illicit arrack has been going on everywhere in the state indiscriminately. The arrack contractors have reached a stage to control the society,” he regretted.
What is more, Sitaram went to the extent of saying that some political leaders were turning millionaires overnight by running illicit liquor mafia.
“Not just country liquor, they are also indulging in the trade of ganja, banned gutkha and khaini, which are available everywhere,” he said.
He demanded that Jagan should lay special focus on curtailing illicit liquor flow and take action against the liquor mafia.
Tammineni’s comments have come at a time when the chief minister Jagan and deputy chief minister Narayana Swamy announced that illicit liquor trade was being dealt firmly with iron hand.
Since government-run wine shops are closed in the state, country-made liquor mafia has been on the rampage. Though the department authorities have claimed that they had seized illicit arrack breweries, they continue to thrive and Sitaram’s comment against them triggered ripples in the government.
