What's Pawan Kalyan's Contribution to Kapu Welfare, Asks Perni Nani 

Amaravati: Transport, Information, and Public Relations Minister Perni Venkatramaiah ( Nani) came down heavily on Jana Sena Party Chief Pawan Kalyan over the online tickets issue and for alleging that the state government has been troubling cinema theatres in Andhra Pradesh. 

Speaking to media at party central office here on Sunday, the Minister said the film industry has been requesting the State for online ticketing since 2003 and added that Telugu Film of Commerce Honorary Secretary Damodar Prasad had given a petition to the government seeking online ticketing on December 24, 2016, and again on December 1,  2018, Honorary Secretary Ramdas has submitted a petition seeking online ticketing. Later, Chiranjeevi and other Tollywood representatives met Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in June 2020 and submitted a petition under the name of Narayanadas Kishan Das Narang seeking the same. 

He said the film industry bigwigs had met him on September 20, 2021, and submitted a petition seeking online ticketing. The Minister asserted that the state government agreed to online ticketing only after considering the requests of the Film Industry.

The Minister said the state government will run only an online portal and the theatre staff will sell the tickets online. The amount collected through the portal will be transferred to the theatre owners through Reserve Bank gateway the next day, he said and slammed Pawan Kalyan for his remarks without prior knowledge. He flayed Pawan Kalyan for claiming that the state government has been planning to borrow loans through the online ticketing system and said the amount is a pittance to run the state. He reminded that the AP government has been spending Rs 60,000 crore every year for implementing welfare schemes. He flayed the actor for using derogatory language against the Chief Minister.

The Minister slammed Pawan Kalyan for his remarks on the price of tickets and said it was Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who announced a 40 percent hike to movie tickets after eight years and added that it was an utter lie that the Chief Minister was crushing the film industry. He said Pawan Kalyan should question the Prime Minister and  Central Government over GST, taxes on Movies, and cases being investigated by Central agencies. 

The Minister said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had clearly said that reservations to Kapu community were not possible and Rs 10,000 crore will be allotted for their welfare and questioned what had the Jana Sena chief done for the welfare of Kapu and Balija communities.

Also Read: Why Fear The Movie Ticket Portal, Anil Kumar Yadav Questions Pawan Kalyan