Actor-politician and Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday, October 27, raised the controversy of ganja and drug smuggling in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Taking to Twitter, he shared his experience during his 2018 'Porata Yatra', that he conducted on behalf of his political party. Pawan Kalyan tweeted, "During my ‘Porata Yatra’ in 2018, which was meant to understand the socio-economic issues of people of the state, in the tribal areas of Andhra-Odisha border, I had received numerous complaints about health, unemployment, illegal mining and also about ganja trade and its mafia."
He also shared a video compilation of his yatra from that time, which shows his interaction with tribal people and students from the government schools in the border area.
In another tweet, Pawan Kayan added that, "AP has become a narcotics hub and filled with many drug lords at every level. Entire nation is getting affected due to willful-inaction of leaders, who are in-charge of the government. The following clip is from SP of Nalgonda-Sri Ranganath of Telangana state."
In the clip shared by Pawan Kalyan, Nalgonda Superintendent of Police (SP) AV Ranganath is seen saying, "Source of ganja is from AOB (Andhra Orissa Border). From there it is being transported to other parts of the country. It's a big problem of ganja over there and business worth several thousand crore is happening there and a lot of vested interests are there, including, financers, brokers, farmers and local leaders."
During my ’ Porata Yatra’in 2018,which was meant to understand the socio,economic issues of people of the state. In the tribal areas of ‘ Andhra Orissa Border’ I had received numerous complaints about health, unemployment, illegal mining and also about ‘ganja trade & its mafia’. pic.twitter.com/OU74YN0LOk
— Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) October 27, 2021
Pawan Kalyan’s statement comes days after Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Leader of Opposition Nara Chandrababu Naidu met President Ramnath Kovind and appealed for President's rule in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In the meeting, Naidu alleged that ganja worth Rs 8,000 crore is being cultivated in around 2,500 acres in the state and is being supplied to the rest of the country.