Kurnool, Oct 26 (NationPress) YSR Congress Party leader and former MLA S.V. Mohan Reddy has accused the coalition government of being directly accountable for the Kurnool bus tragedy, labeling it a “government-created massacre” due to the illicit trade of spurious liquor.

He urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to extend an apology to the families of the victims, provide Rs 1 crore in compensation to each, and initiate criminal proceedings against Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra for his alleged involvement in facilitating the operation of belt shops and the counterfeit liquor market.

Mohan Reddy, who heads the YSRCP’s Kurnool district unit, stated that police investigations have indicated that the motorcyclist involved in the incident had consumed spurious liquor bought from a belt shop in Lakshmipuram, and that his impaired driving led to the bus blaze that claimed the lives of 20 innocent passengers.

“Had liquor not been sold illegally that night, those 20 lives would still be with us. These are not mere accidents; they are murders driven by the greed of this government,” he expressed in a statement.

He further criticized the administration for transforming Andhra Pradesh into ‘Madhyandra Pradesh’, where liquor is freely available at all hours. “Belt shops operate like celebrations with dazzling lights, causing fear among women who pass by. The state once celebrated as Annapurna has been diminished to a liquor center under Chandrababu’s governance,” he remarked.

Mohan Reddy claimed that TDP leaders are complicit in the production of fake liquor, pointing to illicit units uncovered in Mulakalacheruvu, Ibrahimpatnam, Repalle, Anakapalli, Nellore, and Eluru. “Despite thousands of counterfeit liquor bottles being confiscated, no establishments have been shut down and no perpetrators arrested, as the government itself is implicated as the supplier,” he alleged.

He highlighted that one out of every four liquor bottles sold in the state is counterfeit, with TDP leadership profiting over Rs 5,000 crore from this scheme. “If the government is unable to provide compensation from its budget, it should do so from the proceeds of this illegal operation,” he stated.

Reflecting on previous incidents, Mohan Reddy recalled, “From the Godavari Pushkar stampede to the fatalities at the Kandukur public meeting, Chandrababu Naidu’s negligence has claimed lives before. Now, 20 more have perished due to his liquor policy.”

“This isn’t fate; it’s the outcome of corruption and criminal negligence. The government must assume responsibility, publicly apologize, and compensate each grieving family with Rs 1 crore,” Mohan Reddy concluded.