Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu compared former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to the slain Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. In a white paper released in the assembly on Thursday, Naidu accused Reddy of turning Andhra Pradesh into the "Ganja capital" of India during his tenure.
Criticising Reddy for the purported law-and-order issues during his time in office, the TDP chief remarked that he had never encountered such a situation in Andhra Pradesh throughout his extensive career.
"Pablo Escobar is a Colombian drug lord, he is a Narco terrorist. He turned politician and then started his cartel to sell drugs. He earned 30 Billion Dollars at that time, now it’s 90 Billion Dollars worth. He was arrested in 1976 and in 1980 he became the number one richest drug lord in the world. One can become richer by selling drugs as well. What was the aim of the former Chief Minister (YS Jagan)? Tata, Reliance, and Ambani have money and he aspires to become richer than them. Few have needs, few have greed and few have mania and these maniacs do these kinds of things," said Naidu.
But, who is Pablo Escobar to whom Naidu compared his predecessor with?
Who is Pablo Escobar?
Pablo Escobar, born on December 1, 1949, in Rionegro, Colombia, was a notorious drug lord and the head of the Medellin Cartel, one of history's most powerful and violent criminal organisations. Escobar amassed extraordinary wealth through his involvement in the cocaine trade, which dominated the market in the 1980s and early 1990s.
At the height of his power, Escobar's cartel controlled a large share of the cocaine smuggled into the United States and other countries. His immense fortune earned him the moniker "The King of Cocaine." Escobar was infamous for his brutal methods, using extreme violence to maintain dominance and eliminate anyone who threatened his empire.
Robin Hood image
Despite his criminal activities, Escobar portrayed himself as a benefactor to some, funding infrastructure projects and social programs in Colombia's poorest areas. Nonetheless, his reign was marked by widespread violence, including bombings, assassinations, and deep-seated corruption.
Escobar's criminal empire came to a dramatic end on December 2, 1993, when he was killed in a shootout with Colombian National Police in Medellín. His life and criminal activities have been extensively covered in books, documentaries, and television series, illustrating both his immense influence and the severe impact of his actions.
