Naidu govt turning AP into a drug hub

Visakhapatnam, July 7: YSRCP Visakhapatnam District President KK Raju has strongly criticized the coalition government for transforming Andhra Pradesh into a hub for illegal drugs and narcotics since assuming power. Addressing the media at the party’s district office, Raju expressed outrage over the unchecked proliferation of the drug trade, allegedly under the patronage of TDP leaders. “The coalition government’s inaction has allowed Andhra Pradesh to become a marketplace for everything from ganja to dangerous drugs like cocaine,” he asserted, highlighting the alarming rise in drug-related activities across the state.
Raju revealed that a recent seizure of 25 grams of cocaine in Visakhapatnam was falsely reported as occurring near a government university when it was actually at a prominent private educational institution. The government deliberately misrepresents facts to protect the institution’s reputation and shield TDP-affiliated individuals involved in the case. “Those arrested in drug cases are consistently TDP leaders and workers, yet the government is shielding them while spreading misinformation through media outlets like Eenadu,” Raju charged, slamming the newspaper for publishing false narratives to discredit YSRCP and prop up Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
He further pointed out that despite the coalition’s pre-election promise to eradicate drugs within 100 days, the situation has worsened, with dangerous substances like cocaine now easily available. Raju cited multiple incidents, including a recent case where a doctor was caught attempting to purchase cocaine, and another where TDP leaders suppressed information about a ganja seizure in Visakhapatnam. He contrasted this with the YSRCP government’s tenure (2019-2024), during which stringent measures, including counseling for tribal communities and alternative crop cultivation, significantly curbed ganja cultivation. “Our government took unprecedented steps to control the drug menace, but the current regime has undone all progress,” he stated.
Raju also criticized Eenadu’s inconsistent reporting, noting that the newspaper published stories on ganja smuggling and cocaine seizures throughout 2024, including incidents in Vijayanagaram, Anakapalli, Kuppam, and Guntur, yet now claims the drug problem has been eradicated. “This duplicity exposes Eenadu’s bias and the coalition’s failure,” he said, referencing past TDP ministers’ admissions during 2014-2019 that Visakhapatnam had become a drug hub under their rule.