TD MLAs give Rs.1 lakh to family of each of 27 dead

KAKINADA: Telugu Desam Legislature party leaders alleged that the state government is making use of the Pegasus spyware issue to divert public attention from the death of 27 persons “due to consumption of contaminated arrack” at Jangareddygudem.

Even though there is no basis for the allegation of purchase Pegasus spyware by the Telugu Desam government during 2014-19, the assembly speaker allowed a debate on this issue for three hours to enable ruling party members to indulge in mudslinging on TD, they alleged.

The Telugu Desam MLAs like Atchannaidu, former deputy CM China Rajappa, Gorantla Buchaiah, Manthena Ramaraju, Velagapudi Ramakrishna, Vegulla Jogeswara, Satya Prasad, SambaSiva Rao, Ganababu, former MLAs Chintamaneni Prabhakar, Pithani Satyanarayana, KS Jawahar, Peethala Sujatha, Venkateswara Rao, Murali Ramakrishna and others visited Jangareddygudem on Monday and consoled the family members of 27 dead.

The TD gave Rs 1 lakh financial assistance to each family and Achannaidu said the government should pay Rs 25 lakh compensation to  each family. He said when TD wanted a debate on Jangareddygudem deaths, the Speaker did not allow them. But, he allowed a debate on the Pegasus spyware issue.

Later, the TD leaders and workers along with the families of the dead took out a procession up to Jangareddygudem police station and lodged complaints against the manufacturers and requested the police to register cases against them.