India: Party spokesperson alleges political protection for casinos
YSR Congress Party State Official Spokesperson Vangaveeti Narendra has accused the Andhra Pradesh coalition government, led by N. Chandrababu Naidu, of turning the state into a “drugs den” by allowing narcotics, ganja and gambling operations to flourish unchecked. Speaking at the YSRCP Central Office, he alleged that large-scale casinos and card clubs are operating openly under political protection, while drug trafficking networks continue without interruption.
Narendra specifically named Minister Parthasarathy, claiming he and close associates have been operating a major casino near Agiripalli in Eluru district for nearly eight months. He said hundreds of gamblers from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Hyderabad and Khammam visit the venue daily, depositing cash and receiving casino tokens in plain sight. He alleged that the minister receives regular commissions from the operation and demanded his immediate removal from the Cabinet. According to Narendra, law enforcement has been diverted towards harassing YSRCP leaders rather than maintaining public safety. He questioned the silence of the Home Minister and criticised what he described as misleading government claims about controlling the spread of narcotics, including MDMA.
Contrasting this with the tenure of former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Narendra highlighted the role of the Special Enforcement Bureau, which he said had destroyed ganja crops across 11,500 acres and provided alternative livelihoods worth Rs 500 crore (US$60m) to tribal communities. He criticised the current administration for abolishing SEB and replacing it with the EAGLE unit, which he described as toothless and lacking operational capacity.
Citing a recent police raid at the Agiripalli casino that reportedly uncovered 280 individuals, Rs 50 lakh (US$60,000) in cash, 120 cars and 50 bikes, he alleged that the incident was suppressed by the media due to political pressure. He warned that unless the government shuts down gambling clubs, tackles drug trafficking and acts against those providing protection to criminal networks, the YSR Congress Party will launch legal and public agitation to safeguard the state’s youth.
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