Jana Sena Party (JSP) president Pawan Kalyan on Saturday suggested that the YSRCP government make use of the revenue generated from sale of liquor to provide succour to the farmers who had lost their crops to the severe cyclonic storm Nivar.
Touring the flood-affected areas in Venkatagiri, Naidupeta, Gudur, Sarvepalli, Kovur and Nellore along with, among others, Party Political Affairs Committee chairman Nadendla Manohar, the JSP chief castigated the government for leaving the rain-hit farmers in the lurch at a time when the people were recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prohibition
“It is a different matter that the ruling YSRCP has not kept its poll promise of introducing total prohibition and ushering in Bangaru Andhra pradesh,” he said.
Reeling out different brands of cheap liquor sold in the State, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said, “The revenue generated from the sale of such liquor, which is approximately ₹16,000 crore per year, should be used to compensate the farmers who have suffered loss of crops such as paddy, cotton, chilli, tobacco, red gram, groundnut and banana.”
Central aid
He assured the farmers to stand by them at this hour of crisis and get liberal assistance using his good offices with the ruling BJP at the Centre.
Referring to the GHMC elections Hyderabad, which witnessed massive BJP surge, he said the results showed people were for a change.
Accusing the YSRCP government of taking the severe loss incurred by the farmers lightly, he said the JSP would organise State-wide protests on Monday. It was unfortunate that the YSRCP used the legislature for gaining political mileage, he said.
“Just one day was allotted for debate on the serious issue concerning the farmers,” he said when a group of farmers showed him the paddy damaged.
The JSP chief, who also visited some of the colonies close to swollen Penna in the city, said he was perplexed as to how the government could select areas prone to flooding for construction of houses to the poor.
