Chandrababu Naidu draws parallel between Pablo Escobar and Jagan Mohan Reddy; dubs ex- AP CM as maniac (WATCH)

In a fiery session of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Thursday, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu released a comprehensive white paper on the state’s law and order situation.

Andhra Pradesh CM draws parallel between Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and Jagan Mohan Reddy (WATCH) snt

Sunita Iyer

First Published Jul 25, 2024, 5:12 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 25, 2024, 6:36 PM IST

In a fiery session of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Thursday, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu released a comprehensive white paper on the state’s law and order situation. During his address, Naidu made a striking comparison between former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, stirring significant controversy and debate.

Naidu highlighted the dramatic deterioration in law and order under Jagan's administration, alleging that the state experienced rampant lawlessness from 2019 to 2024. The white paper, divided into five key points, detailed the alleged rise in crimes and the decline in effective governance during Jagan’s tenure. Naidu emphasized that during his regime (2014-2019), his government successfully curbed crimes and maintained peace, particularly in faction-ridden villages.

He accused the YS Jagan government of engaging in state-sponsored terrorism and inciting violence, claiming that the police were used as instruments for YCP factional activities. Naidu pointed out that 17 cases were filed against him and 7 against Pawan Kalyan during Jagan's rule, despite having no criminal records prior to Jagan's tenure. He also mentioned the tragic case of Kodela Sivaprasad Rao, alleging that false cases and resultant humiliation led to Rao’s suicide.

Furthermore, Naidu criticized the current Home Minister Anita Jagan, accusing her of enjoying the suffering of SC and ST individuals in jail, and condemned the treatment of Raghuramakrishnan Raju, who was allegedly beaten in custody while the then CM reportedly watched.

Drawing a stark parallel, Naidu compared Jagan to Pablo Escobar, outlining Escobar's rise from a drug lord to a political figure who created drug corridors and amassed a fortune of $30 billion, which would be worth $90 billion today. He recounted Escobar's violent history, including the murder of the Colombian justice minister in 1986 and an attack on the Supreme Court in 1987, resulting in the deaths of 11 judges.

Naidu accused Jagan of having similar dangerous ambitions, aspiring to surpass the wealth of prominent Indian industrialists like Tata and Reliance. He warned that such individuals are harmful to politics and society.

""Pablo Escobar is a Colombian drug lord, he is a Narco terrorist. He turned politician and then started his cartel to sell drugs. He earned 30 Billion Dollars at that time, now it’s 90 Billion Dollars worth. He was arrested in 1976 and in 1980 he became the number one richest drug lord in the world. One can become richer by selling drugs as well. What was the aim of former Chief Minister (YS Jagan)? Tata, Reliance, Ambani have money and he aspired to become richer than them. Few have needs, few have greed and few have mania and these maniacs do these kinds of things," he said in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Concluding his address, Naidu assured that the TDP government remains committed to maintaining law and order in Andhra Pradesh and will not hesitate to take stringent measures to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. He condemned the current administration's alleged false propaganda and conspiracies aimed at destabilizing the state.

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