Stung by the massive campaign by the YSR Congress party in social media as well as mainstream media over the illegal liquor manufacturing racket busted in Annamayya district three days ago, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu went on a high alert and called for curbing of negative campaign.
Naidu held a high-level meeting of the excise department and enforcement agency officials on Wednesday and asked them to act tough against manufacture and sale of spurious liquor in Andhra Pradesh.
He made it clear that those responsible for endangering public lives through adulterated liquor must face stringent legal action.
He instructed that there should be no manufacturing units or individuals involved in the production of adulterated liquor anywhere in Andhra Pradesh.
The chief minister also cautioned officials and ministers about politically motivated misinformation being spread over the spurious liquor issue.
He alleged that opposition leaders were attempting to exploit the Annamayya incident for political mileage by spreading false propaganda across the state.
“They are creating a sort of fear psychosis among the people by claiming that one in every three liquor bottles in the state is spurious,” he said, describing it as a “deliberate political conspiracy by YSRCP leaders.”
He directed officials to investigate all allegations scientifically, including through post-mortem and forensic verification wherever deaths are being attributed to adulterated liquor.
“We must establish the truth and expose those who are falsely linking natural deaths to spurious liquor,” the Chief Minister said.
He instructed that anyone — whether media outlets or social media users — spreading misinformation should be held accountable.
“If someone claims deaths occurred due to spurious liquor, they must produce proof. If the claims are false, take legal action,” Naidu ordered.
He warned that the government would not remain silent if individuals or political groups try to create panic among the public for political gain.
Naidu reminded his team of YSRCP’s past “dramas” during the Viveka murder case in 2019, urging them not to forget the opposition’s pattern of misinformation and political manipulation.
“The YSRCP is once again trying to mislead people through fake campaigns. You must respond swiftly and decisively,” Naidu told the ministers.
He said the government has been addressing every issue promptly and transparently, leaving the opposition with no genuine reason for criticism.
“Since they have no issues to attack us on, they are resorting to fake propaganda,” he remarked.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to implementing all election promises, Naidu said, “The YSRCP, unable to find faults, has fallen back on its only political strategy — spreading lies. But people no longer believe them. Still, as ministers and public representatives, it is our duty to explain the facts to citizens,” he concluded.
