Lok Satta Party

TDP stooping low, charges Lok Satta

2009-07-11T19:13:00.001+05:30

The Lok Satta Party said today it was not interested in indulging in a slanging match with the TDP which had stooped so low as to make scurrilous allegations against the Lok Satta and its leader Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan brushing aside all facts.

Party spokesmen Katari Srinivasa Rao and V. Laxman Balaji told the media that the TDP was repeating its baseless charges ad nauseam, without taking cognizance of the replies given by the Lok Satta. To cite just one instance, they recalled that Dr. JP had lent his services to all parties and leaders who wanted to do something good for the country. He joined the National Advisory Council constituted by the UPA Government, and not by Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. He had the privilege and opportunity of serving on a number of panels constituted by the earlier NDA Government also. More significantly, he was a member of the Governance Committee formed by the Chandrababu Naidu Government itself as part of its mission to draw up a Vision 2020 program.

The leaders regretted that instead of entering into an honest and public debate with Dr. JP on all issues raised by him and his party, the TDP was making personal attacks on Dr. JP. That the TDP is trying to find excuses for avoiding a public debate is evident to everybody.

The Lok Satta has, therefore, decided to not to pay the TDP back in kind and instead, focus its attention on the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections. The party today released a pamphlet comprising its agenda for the GHMC. The Lok Satta Party makes five promises in its manifesto for the GHMC elections. They are:

Supply of safe drinking water in all colonies and bastis which do not have the facility now with the installation of reverse osmosis plants
Implementing a citizen’s charter under which failure to attend to a public grievance in a specified period invites penalty on the GHMC
Identification and resolution of problems basti-colony wise and implementation of a division agenda in three phases – 100 days, one year and five years respectively.
Devolution of GHMC funds at the rate of Rs.2 crore for each division every year, so that an elected divisional committee could spend it on attending to pressing local problems
Integration of the functioning of the GHMC, Metrowater and Urban Development Authority.
Better traffic management with improving public transport system and provision of footpaths and free flow of traffic

The Lok Satta spokesmen underlined: “We have the clarity of purpose, determination, competence and integrity to deliver on our promises.” They appealed to people with integrity and leadership qualities to come forward to fight the elections on the Lok Satta platform. They said the Lok Satta’s slogan is going to be “Seeti bajao; city bachao” (Blow the whistle and save the city)

NRI group in US campaigns for Changes in AP Corruption law

2009-07-10T18:08:00.000+05:30

Lok Satta Party NRI group in the U. S. "People for Lok Satta" (www.peopleforloksatta.org) launched a campaign to garner support for an amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act drafted by Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, President of the Lok Satta Party.

People for Lok Satta is urging the people of Andhra Pradesh to come forward and sign an online petition which calls upon the Chief Minister to walk his talk on combating rampant corruption. The group's campaign includes calls and emails to MLAs, online videos and writing to Indian print and electronic media.

Party spokespersons Mr. V.Laxman Balaji and Mrs. Y. Ramadevi released here the deatils to the media.

"Corruption cancer is killing India. We do not have strong laws to prevent corruption and punish the guilty. Only with public awareness and pressure on MLAs can the bill pass with majority support" said Ms. Hyma Sagi, who is spearheading the campaign for the group.

The online petition, (http://www.petitiononline.com/acbill), which has gained close to 1000 signatures so far, outlines the many provisions of the bill which facilitate seizure and forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants and establishing an independent anti-corruption agency.

"Combating corruption is not one party's crusade but it's everyone's fight" said Mr. Kapil Bolisetti, an active volunteer from the New Jersey chapter of People for Lok Satta. "The success of the bill hinges on creating awareness of the bill by explaining the loopholes in the existing anti-corruption laws and the need for stringent laws to curb corruption. When enough pressure comes from people, the elected representatives will have no way but to support the bill. After all, aren't they our voice?"

The NRI group, with more than 300 passionate working professionals, is actively working to support Citizen Help Centers in India, campaigning for NRI voting rights, creating awareness about the party's ideology and attracting the disenchanted NRI community into the mainstream political process.

Stand by your commitment, Lok Satta tells Babu

2009-07-09T16:28:00.000+05:30

“TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu is apparently running away from a debate he has agreed to with Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan.”

That was how the Lok Satta Party commented on the preconditions set by TDP leaders Dhulipala Narendra Kumar and Ravula Chandrasekhara Reddy for a debate with the Lok Satta Party.

Talking to the media, party spokespersons Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mr. V. Laxman Balaji, Mrs. K. Geetamurthy recalled that Dr. JP had agreed to reply to all the questions raised by Mr. Chandrababu Naidu and other TDP leaders concerning the Lok Satta. Dr. JP had said in his letter, “Your partymen and you seem to question the rationale for Lok Satta Party’s emergence. You have also questioned our fund raising and utilization of resources in the recent electoral campaign. You have argued that Lok Satta Party is acting in concert with ruling party in the State. You have raised questions of integrity and public morality. I am ready to debate with you all these issues pertaining to your party and Lok Satta.”

Dr. JP had congratulated Mr. Chandrababu Naidu on his readiness for a debate and hoped the debate would set a healthy trend in democratic discourse.

“Far from accepting Dr. JP’s offer, the TDP is now trying to wriggle out of its commitment by finding excuses,” commented the party spokespersons.

“It is true that the Lok Satta polled only 1.8 percent of the popular vote and has a lone representative in the Assembly compared to TDP’s formidable ‘vote bank’ and number of MLAs. If the Lok Satta is such a weakling, why should the TDP be rattled and blame the Lok Satta for its debacle in the 2009 elections?”

The spokespersons clarified that Dr. JP indicated certain modalities for a debate and suggested they could be finalized by mutual consent. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was in no way constrained from suggesting modalities acceptable to him.

Referring to the questions raised by the TDP leaders, the Lok Satta spokespersons replied that Dr. JP had welcomed the public debate precisely to answer all such questions and more if any. They had merely repeated the questions raised earlier.

“Our life is an open book. We have nothing to conceal or fear. Where is the need for a propaganda campaign through proxies when the Presidents of the TDP and the Lok Satta can have a public discourse without indulging in personal attacks?”

In fact, the spokespersons pointed out, Dr. JP, with the cooperation of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, was eager to set a new trend in civilized and honest public discourse.

The spokespersons hoped that without standing on false prestige Mr. Chandrababu Naidu would take part in the debate. “We can understand the frustration of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu at the poll results. But that is no excuse for shying away from a healthy and exemplary debate.”

Lok Satta is dedicated to transforming the political culture of India, and Andhra Pradesh is merely its first base of activity. Vote buying, distribution of liquor, dynastic rule, family fiefdoms, obstructionist methods, politics as commerce, corruption and abuse of office, criminalization, centralization, treating people as mendicants, perpetuation of poverty and caste, regional and communal divisions – all these have become the staple of traditional parties in India. Sadly, even parties which had once a credible record descended to a low level. Lok Satta has always believed that what we need is not merely a change of players, but a change in the rules of the game. In consonance with that objective, Lok Satta Party was founded with clear and well-defined objectives, democratic functioning, clean politics, inclusive and nation-building approach, and policies aimed at empowering citizens, fulfilling the potential of every child irrespective of the accident of birth and elimination of all avoidable suffering. The party’s Constitution, published on October 2, 2006 clearly and succinctly outlined our approach to public work. Power to us is a means, not an end in itself. Therefore the means adopted to acquire power have to be fair, legitimate and transparent. That is why vote-buying, distribution of liquor obstructionist methods divisive politics and cheap populism are anathemas to Lok Satta.

Lok Satta has never leveled personal allegations against any party or leader. We have always endeavoured to raise the level of debate and focus on public issues. We believe that the nation is above the party, and the party is above individuals. If a party proposes a sound policy, we always welcome and support it; if a policy is not desirable in our judgment, we oppose it with reasons, and always provide an alternative solution. This is the new politics India needs and our children deserve.

The appeal to all parties to come together to work for the common good, instead of being lost in partisan rancour bitterness and internecine quarrels.

Take up MMTS Phase II, Suggests Lok Satta

2009-07-08T16:38:00.000+05:30

The Lok Satta Party today wanted the State Government to focus its attention on launching the second phase of the MMTS and introducing the BRTS wherever it is feasible.

Talking to the media, party spokespersons Katari Srinivasa Rao and V. Laxman Balaji said that the Government appeared to be determined to take up the Metro Rail system following the cancellation of its agreement with the Maytas consortium. It might take several months for the project to be grounded and several years for its execution. They suggested that a survey be conducted again on the land proposed for acquisition for the Metro Rail, which had been finalized in the teeth of opposition from civic organizations and some experts.

Meanwhile, the Government should come to the rescue of commuters by prodding the railways to take up the MMTS second phase. More services should be operated on the existing routes. They also suggested that the roads be widened wherever feasible and the BRTS introduced.

The Lok Satta leaders pointed out that Hyderabad has a wide railway network around it and that the city’s traffic woes can be mitigated if the railway network is linked with the bus transportation system. Hyderabad has 160 km of railway lines comprising120 km in the main corridors and 40 km in bypass lines. MMTS Phase 1 covers 48 km of this network. MMTS Phase II should be taken up to cover the entire city and link it up with the main arterial roads and the Outer Ring Road.

The State RTC should avail of the funds under the JNNURM to acquire additional buses and run more services to cover all the nooks and corners of Greater Hyderabad and increase the frequency of services on all existing routes.

Dr.JP's Letter to Chandrababu Naidu

2009-07-07T18:47:00.000+05:30

Date: 07.07.2009

Sri Chandra Babu Naidu,
President,
Telugu Desam Party,
Hyderabad.

I read the news reports that you have agreed to a public debate with Lok Satta Party on the issues your party has been raising about Lok Satta. Lok Satta has always held that reasoned public debate is the essence of democracy. I therefore congratulate you on your readiness to debate and welcome your decision.

I am prepared to debate with you in a reasoned and civilized manner all issues relevant to the public. Your party men and you seem to question the rationale for Lok Satta Party’s emergence. You have also questioned our fund raising and utilization of resources in the recent electoral campaign. You have argued that Lok Satta Party is acting in concert with ruling party in the state. You have raised questions integrity and public morality. I am ready to debate with you all these issues pertaining to you party and Lok Satta.

Therefore the following four main themes seem to be appropriate for a civilized public debate between the two of us.

1. Issues of public morality and integrity.
2. Nature of politics practised by both parties.
3. Mobilization and utilization of political funds by the respective parties.
4. Public policies adopted by both parties.

I suggest that there should be one or more public debates, each of 90 minutes duration with a moderator chosen from the Union of Working Journalists by mutual consent. The debate will be on an agreed format, with both participants having equal time to respond to a question, with a right to rebut. We will both take questions asked by an invited panel of journalists, with time limits fixed for each reply. I will refrain from personal attacks unrelated to public work. The debates will be telecast live.

Only invited journalists and media persons will attend the debates. You may like to constitute a person or team to finalize the format of the debates and other details with a team I will be constituting immediately.

Meanwhile, I have firmly advised all my colleagues in Lok Satta Party not to resort to personal attacks or provocative actions. At all times both sides should maintain the highest standards of dignity and decorum. So far, I have never leveled a personal allegation against you or any other political leader of any party in the country. Lok Satta Party and I wish to maintain the same standards of decorum in future also.

This initiative of a reasoned, honest public debate will be a watershed in our political evolution as a democracy. I am sure other parties will soon emulate us, and it will eventually alter the nature of public discourse and political culture in India.

I urge you to initiate action at the earliest in order for the debates to take place as soon as possible. Meanwhile, please be assured of civility and all courtesies due to you from my part.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

Jayaprakash Narayan
President.

Dr. JP to address IIM students

2009-07-07T18:02:00.001+05:30

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan will be addressing and interacting with students of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, tomorrow (Wednesday, July 8).

He will be addressing on “Social entrepreneurship: Innovating for social change.”

IIM, Ahmedabad, invites people who have made a conscious choice to work in the social sector and enables students to interact with them. The prestigious institute, which refrains from inviting active politicians, has made an exception in the case of Dr. JP because he is “an exceptional person with a large and fairly complex agenda of political reform,”

Dr. JP invites Chandrababu for a debate

2009-07-07T16:50:00.000+05:30

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has congratulated TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu on his readiness to debate the issues the TDP has been raising against the Lok Satta Party and welcomed his decision. Dr. JP also suggested four main themes on which both of them could engage themselves in a reasoned and civilized debate.

In a letter sent to the TDP President, Dr. JP said there should be one or more debates in the presence of an invited panel of journalists and a Working Journalists’ Union leader serving as a moderator.

He hoped “the initiative of a reasoned, honest public debate will be a watershed in our political evolution as a democracy.”

Party leaders Katari SRinivasarao and Ravi Maruthi released the letter to the media at the party headquarters today.

The following is the text of Dr. JP’s letter to Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu:

“I read the news reports that you have agreed to a public debate with Lok Satta Party on the issues your party has been raising about Lok Satta. Lok Satta has always held that reasoned public debate is the essence of democracy. I therefore congratulate you on your readiness to debate and welcome your decision.

“I am prepared to debate with you in a reasoned and civilized manner all issues relevant to the public. Your party men and you seem to question the rationale for Lok Satta Party’s emergence. You have also questioned our fund raising and utilization of resources in the recent electoral campaign. You have argued that Lok Satta Party is acting in concert with ruling party in the state. You have raised questions integrity and public morality. I am ready to debate with you all these issues pertaining to you party and Lok Satta.

“Therefore the following four main themes seem to be appropriate for a civilized public debate between the two of us.

1. Issues of public morality and integrity.
2. Nature of politics practised by both parties.
3. Mobilization and utilization of political funds by the respective parties.
4. Public policies adopted by both parties.

“I suggest that there should be one or more public debates, each of 90 minutes duration with a moderator chosen from the Union of Working Journalists by mutual consent. The debate will be on an agreed format, with both participants having equal time to respond to a question, with a right to rebut. We will both take questions asked by an invited panel of journalists, with time limits fixed for each reply. I will refrain from personal attacks unrelated to public work. The debates will be telecast live.

“Only invited journalists and media persons will attend the debates. You may like to constitute a person or team to finalize the format of the debates and other details with a team I will be constituting immediately.

“Meanwhile, I have firmly advised all my colleagues in Lok Satta Party not to resort to personal attacks or provocative actions. At all times both sides should maintain the highest standards of dignity and decorum. So far, I have never leveled a personal allegation against you or any other political leader of any party in the country. Lok Satta Party and I wish to maintain the same standards of decorum in future also.

“This initiative of a reasoned, honest public debate will be a watershed in our political evolution as a democracy. I am sure other parties will soon emulate us, and it will eventually alter the nature of public discourse and political culture in India.

“I urge you to initiate action at the earliest in order for the debates to take place as soon as possible. Meanwhile, please be assured of civility and all courtesies due to you from my part.”

Lok Satta produces its Kadapa candidate

2009-07-06T17:58:00.000+05:30

The Lok Satta Party today produced Mr. Gudipati Prasanna Kumar, who contested from the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency on behalf of the Lok Satta Party to refute the TDP’s Goebbels’ propaganda that the party did not field a candidate against the Chief Minister’s son as part of a tacit understanding with the Congress Party.

Mr. Prasanna Kumar himself told the media it was strange that the TDP did not notice him even as he went round the constituency from the day he filed the nomination and received daily coverage in the media.

Talking to the media, party spokesmen Katari Srinivasa Rao and V. Laxman Balaji pointed out that the party could not field candidates in 45 Assembly and 10 Lok Sabha seats despite its best efforts. The TDP which blames the Lok Satta for its debacle in the 2009 elections conveniently ignores the fact that it lost even in constituencies in which the Lok Satta did not field its candidates.

The Lok Satta leaders took exception to TDP leader Yerrannaidu questioning why the Lok Satta Party had been formed and the threat of certain TDP leaders not to allow Lok Satta President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan go round the State. They asked whether the Lok Satta needed clearance from the TDP to either form a party or for its leaders to go round the State.

In reply to TDP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy’s charge, they explained that since the Lok Satta did not believe in collecting black money like the TDP, it introduced four types of membership to raise finances. Associated members pay Rs.10 and primary members Rs.100 for three years. Those who pay Rs.100 per month or Rs.1000 a year become executive members. To become a lifetime executive member, one has to pay Rs.10,000. Those who pay more according to their capacity will be recognized as silver, gold, platinum and diamond members but they do not enjoy any extra privileges.

Lack-luster budget: Dr. JP

2009-07-06T17:24:00.001+05:30

The Lok Satta Party today described the Union budget as lack luster. There is little to write home about it barring the Government’s outlay crossing the Rs.10 lakh crore mark.

Talking to the media, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said that Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had formulated the budget with an eye on the elections in a few States in the next few months. He allowed the golden opportunity to craft a historic budget in the context of a global recession and a stable government and steady growth in the Indian economy in the country to slip through his fingers.

Dr. JP pointed out that no bold attempt had been made to create either employment opportunities or boost agricultural growth since the focus was on winning the upcoming elections in States. Since 70 percent of farmers are outside the institutional fold, they are not going to benefit from the increase in agricultural loans.

Dr. JP said: “Even now, the allocation for healthcare in the country remained where it was for decades – only one percent of the GDP. Educational allocations still remain at 3.5 percent of the GDP. There is no concerted attempt to eliminate poverty. Instead, there is a conscious attempt to give short-term sops to the poor to use them as vote banks, while perpetuating poverty.

“The revenue deficit also has reached 4.8 percent of the GDP or about Rs.215,000 crore. That means, the Government is spending only for day-t-day expenditure about Rs.600 crore more than its income every single day. The interest burden has exceeded Rs.300,000 crore, and this year’s additional debt alone is Rs.400,000 crore. If the States’ deficits are added, the combined fiscal deficit will probably reach 12 pre percent of the GDP. There is no road map to reduce the fiscal deficit. As a result, the younger generation is going to inherit a crushing burden of debt on account of the Governments’ profligacy.”

Lok Satta demonstrates It is different

2009-07-04T19:03:00.000+05:30

“It doesn’t matter which party comes to power. Our school continues to be in a pitiable condition.”

It was this remark of a woman attendant of the Government Primary School at Hydernagar in Serilingampalli Assembly constituency that inspired the Lok Satta to take up its renovation as a challenge. The attendant, Prameela, had remarked that she had seen politicians belonging to all hues visiting the school and promising its improvement.

The Lok Satta Party workers led by Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao collected donations of Rs.60,000 and completed renovation by putting in 100 mandays of ‘shramdan’ in the last one month.

The parents and students celebrated the school renovation by inviting Lok Satta President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan as their chief guest today.

Dr. JP recalled the Lok Satta activists had visited the school as part of a survey to assess the condition of schools before they opened for the new academic year. He said that if every rupee of the Rs.25 crore the Government spends on schools in Greater Hyderabad is utilized properly, amenities could be provided in all schools in five years. Of the 18 lakh students in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts, two-thirds go to private schools because the Government schools are devoid of facilities. In the Hydernagar school for instance, there is only one teacher and six volunteers for 250 students.

Dr. JP said traditional parties are not interested in making people self-reliant by providing them good education. “Politics won’t change as long as people exchange their votes for money. And there won’t be any improvement in your lives so long as politics do not change. Think of the future of your children before you cast your vote.”

Dr. JP also visited the ZP High School at Nizampet whose land has been occupied by some people with politicians’ blessings.

Railway Minister promises tickets Without trains: Lok Satta

2009-07-03T19:49:00.001+05:30

Making reservation of rail tickets hassle free without provision of adequate number of train services in tune with the burgeoning demand is of little consolation to passengers, commented the Lok Satta Party on the Railway Budget today.

Talking to the media, party spokespersons Katari Srinivasa Rao, V. Laxman Balaji and Mrs. K. Gita Murthy pointed out that Andhra Pradesh had suffered injustice once again in that there was no mention of the laying of new lines or funds allocation for the second phase of the MMTS in Hyderabad. The Railway Minister ignored the fact that the South Central Railway contributed a huge chunk of railway revenue. The Chief Minister washed off his hands off by writing a letter to the Railway Minister on what needs to be done to Andhra Pradesh while the 33 MPs belonging to the ruling party played no constructive role. If funds allocation to Andhra Pradesh continued at the present pace, construction of new lines and extension of the existing ones would take decades.

The Lok Satta leaders said that the so-called express trains in India run at a speed of 60 km an hour against 150 km in the developed world for want of track and signaling modernization.

They ridiculed the Railway Ministers claim of the plan to lay 3500 km of new railway track as courageous by recalling that the British rulers laid 40000 km of railway track in three years 160 years ago.

They, however, welcomed the proposals to develop 50 stations including Secunderabad, to improve hygiene and sanitation, concessions to women, the physically challenged and unorganized workers and reduction in the tatkal reservation charge.

Do rains respond to prayers? Asks the Lok Satta

2009-07-02T16:55:00.000+05:30

Propitiating Gods for precipitation of rains in 2009 by an elected Government and a devasthanam board nominated by it borders on the ridiculous, commented the Lok Satta Party here today.

Instead of going to the rescue of farmers hit by the drought-like situation with an alternative plan, the Chief Minister is hoodwinking the people by initiating the ritual. The Endowments Minister who is supposed to protect temple properties from encroachers supervises the ‘Varuna yagam.’ The TTD, which is expected to productively utilize people’s offerings to the God for their welfare, is squandering away precious resources on such unwarranted rituals.

Talking to the media, party spokesmen Katari Srinivsasa Rao, V. Laxman Balaji and G. Raja Reddy said there was nothing wrong in a Government resorting to cloud seeding in a bid to precipitate rains. But scheduling the program for the middle of July when the rainy season would be at its peak naturally sparked doubts about the Government’s motive.

The Lok Satta leaders pointed out that the Government is going ahead with its pet scheme of cooperative farming, undeterred by advice to the contrary from saner elements. They told the Government if the productivity and production were low it was not because the holdings were small but because the farmers had no access to resources and markets. The Government supplied certified seeds enough only for eight percent of the total acreage and tested only four percent of soils. Apart from addressing such lapses, the Government should provide credit and marketing facilities to farmers.

The party spokesmen accused the Government of not displaying either leadership or competence in resolving people’s problems. It had so indiscriminately issued ration cards that the beneficiary families exceeded the number of families in the State. And yet, tens of thousands of poor families do not have white cards. It had not come up with any concerted action plan to prevent recurrence of Bholakpurs (where 14 people died of ‘drinking water’).

They also referred to the Government appointing an Advisory Committee on Public Safety and Security in which the Home Minister did not find a place, and said it once again mirrored the Government’s irrational and hare-brained policies.

“Instead of focusing on ensuring independent crime investigation and equal treatment to all before law, ad hoc, arbitrary decisions are being taken. The Government did not or could not explain why such a body is necessary or how it would solve the problems. These arbitrary ‘firmans’ remind us of the shenanigans of autocratic rulers like Mod. Bin Tughlaq. It is time the Government got its act together and acted with some degree of responsibility and good sense”.

Lok Satta rebuts malicious campaign

2009-07-01T17:30:00.000+05:30

Parties that blame the Lok Satta for their poor performance in the 2009 elections had better advocate single-party democracy as in China and the erstwhile Soviet Union, the Lok Satta said today in a sharp rejoinder.

A number of leaders in both the TDP and the BJP had been griping and wailing over the Lok Satta “hijacking their’ votes and contributing to their dismal show, according to media reports.

Talking to the media, Lok Satta Party spokesmen V. Vijayender Reddy and E. Chennayya said that far from being chastened by the electoral debacle and mending their ways, some of the traditional parties seemed to regard the electoral arena as their sole preserve. “They conveniently forget that in a democracy, every one has a right to form a party and seek voters’ blessings. The beauty of democracy lies in the fact that no party has a monopoly over any section of voters. A mature political party in a democracy should humbly accept the people’s verdict instead of trying to find scapegoats in other parties or blame the voters themselves. Perhaps they believe in single-party democracy.”

Referring to the allegation that the Lok Satta seemed to have a secret understanding with the Congress since it did not field candidates against the Chief Minister and his son in the Pulivendula Assembly and Kadapa Lok Sabha seats respectively, the Lok Satta leaders dubbed it as not only baseless but also malicious. The party did field Mr. Gudipati Prasanna Kumar to contest against the Chief Minister’s son in the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. Despite its best efforts, the party could not find candidates in 45 Assembly and 10 Lok Sabha seats. Pulivendula and Kuppam happened to be among Assembly seats where the party could not locate suitable candidates. The party allocated the Kuppam seat to the Backward Classes United Front which had come forward to field a candidate.

“People’s welfare is the sole touchstone for our stand on any issue, and not partisan considerations,” underlined the spokesmen in the context of the Government moves to supply mineral water to every habitation and promote cooperative or collective farming.

The Lok Satta Party was the only party, which included supply of safe drinking water in all problematic areas as one of its 50 “irrevocable guarantees.” “We are glad the ruling party has taken a leaf out of our manifesto. But unfortunately, its copying is not smart.” The Lok Satta had promised water supply through installation of reverse osmosis plants in areas where the water is not potable either because of excessive fluoride or salinity or pollution by industrial effluents. The Lok Satta scheme to devolve a per capita grant of Rs.1000 to every panchayat/ward/division will enable the local body to go in for such plants and provide even livelihood to plant operators.

The Lok Satta is unequivocal in its operation to cooperative or collective farming as conceived by the State Government because productivity and production are not scale-dependent. Many countries including Russia and China were forced to beat a retreat from collective farming as their experience was disastrous. In contrast, the productivity in a small land holding is higher because of the care bestowed by the small farmer. Productivity in the Indian context has to do more with accessibility to and affordability of technology and not fragmented holdings. Cooperative farming can perhaps be experimented in saline areas and rain shadow areas.

Lok Satta screens candidates For GHMC elections

2009-06-30T17:41:00.001+05:30

The Lok Satta Party, which is determined to make a good showing in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections, has completed screening of candidates for 70 of the 150 divisions.

Mr. Katari Sriniasa Rao and Dr. P. Bhaskara Rao, party spokesmen and Mr. Dasari Ratnam, State Convener, Yuva Satta, told the media that the Lok Satta call to the young and educated to contest the elections on the Lok Satta platform had elicited tremendous response. What is heartening is that a number of candidates with leadership qualities and competence and commitment are among the applicants. The candidates would be finalized once the Government finalized the reservation of wards for different communities.

The Lok Satta leaders pointed out that the Lok Satta, despite the enormous good will it enjoyed, could not poll votes in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the same proportion because of the malicious propaganda that a vote to the Lok Satta would be a wasted vote. In addition, considerations of caste, money and liquor played a significant role.

In contrast, the local elections would be fought on local issues. The Lok Satta is in the process of finalizing division-wise and time-bound agenda to resolve the burning problems of people ranging from drinking water supply and sanitation to traffic and public transport.

The Lok Satta leaders said that the GHMC elections provided a golden opportunity to develop Hyderabad on par with the best cities in the world provided the citizens utilized their vote with discretion. As of now, land grabbers and goondas ruled the roost as the young and educated shunned politics and civic matters. They said that in the recent past attempts had been made to grab land in ENT Hospital, Kothi and in Chikoti Gardens, Begumet.

Thanks to the Lok Satta, the young and the educated have now realized that they should lead politics from the front, like Subhash Chandra Bose, Chittaranjan Das, Jawaharlal Nehru and Prakasam Pnatulu in the past.

The Lok Satta is launching its Mission 2014 (of coming to power) beginning with GHMC, asserted the leaders.

Cooperative farming will end up In disaster, warns Dr. JP

2009-06-29T21:05:00.001+05:30

The cooperative or collective farming envisaged by the Andhra Pradesh Government to step up both productivity and production will end up in a disaster, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan warned today. “The remedy proposed is worse than the disease.”

Dr. JP, who took part in an all-party meeting convened by the Chief Minister on cooperative farming earlier in the day, said farming in Andhra Pradesh suffered from a host of ailments all of which had little to do with the size of farms. “Productivity and production in the farm sector have been low not because the land holdings are small but because farmers do not have access to technology.”

He pointed out that “technology is scale neutral.” Farmers irrespective of the size of their holdings embrace new technologies if they are available as is evident from the fact that 80 percent of cotton farmers have taken to the pest resistant BT cotton variety all over the country. The farmers are helpless either when modern technology is not available or they have no access. Although there are cane harvesters all over the world, they are not available in Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. JP highlighted that only eight percent of seeds used by farmers are certified and four percent of their soils tested. On both counts, the farmer is a loser. The problem, therefore, lay with the Government and not the farmer in making new technologies accessible to him.

Dr. JP told a media meeting that the Government’s advocacy of large, consolidated holdings in the name of cooperative or collective farming for precision farming is untenable. Precision farming involves control of temperature, moisture etc in green houses as in the raising of tulips in the Netherlands. The holdings involved are all small and not at all large.

Dr. JP pointed out that all over the country productivity in small farms is higher than in large farms because the small farmer invests his labor of love, besides other inputs, to reap higher harvests. He does not include his labor in costing. If cooperative farming is introduced, the small farmer becomes a wage earner and loses his dignity. As he charges for his labor, the cost of production in cooperative farming is bound to be higher.

Dr. JP said the real problem lay in the absence of breakthroughs in technologies after the Green Revolution of the 1960s. The Government could address some of the problems like absence of dryers and threshing platforms.

“Nowhere in the world large-scale farming has been a success. In India itself, we have 14 Central State Farms spread over tens of thousands of acres. But all the farms run by the Government of India are bankrupt. The erstwhile Soviet Union paid a very high price for promoting collective farming. In India, cooperatives have succeeded where they are engaged in processing and marketing and not in primary production. Milk cooperatives are a good example. Even in dairy cooperatives whenever the Government controlled them as in Kadapa and Chittoor, the dairies went bankrupt whereas farmer-controlled processing cooperatives are doing well.”

Dr. JP did not rest with rubbishing the Government proposal. He suggested alternatives for stepping up productivity and production. He wanted the Government to enact a law as in Punjab to promote consolidation of fragmented holdings. The present monstrous tenancy law has to be liberalized. Although two-thirds of land holdings in the State are in the hands of tenants, owners do not register them for fear of losing ownership.

Once tenancy is brought on record, the tenant can access bank credit and other inputs. A liberalized tenancy law will also facilitate contract farming which is in the interest of the farmer as also the country. For instance, sugarcane and oil palm are raised as a contract between processing mills and farmers. In a similar fashion, paper producers enter into an understanding with farmers for supply of softwood in Andhra Pradesh, and vegetable producers for supply of raw material to processing industry in Punjab.

Dr. JP wanted the Government to focus on value addition, warehousing and marketing. The marketing societies should be under the control of farmers, and all restrictions on marketing should be removed.

Lok Satta demands ACB inquiry Into Jindal land scam

2009-06-29T21:04:00.001+05:30

The Lok Satta Party today demanded an ACB inquiry into the Rs.10-crore scam in the acquisition of land for the Jindal Aluminum factory in Vizianagaram district.

Addressing a media meet, party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan regretted that although the party submitted a report on the irregularities in land acquisition to the Chief Minister on September 8, 2008, no action had been taken.

The party today released a detailed report on its field-level findings.

Dr. JP and Mr. Bhisetty Babjee, Vizianagaram district party President of the party, said that politicians and officials colluded and siphoned off at least Rs.10 crore of the Rs.22.44 crore payments by creating bogus farmers. Some genuine farmers had been paid nominal compensation while some others had not been paid at all.

The Lok Satta inquiry had revealed that the officials tampered with revenue records and indulged in forgery. The Lok Satta leaders demanded that justice be rendered to displaced farmers and the guilty punished.

Punish the guilty in white card scam: Lok Satta

2009-06-26T19:23:00.000+05:30

The Lok Satta Party today welcomed the Government’s determination and drive to weed out bogus white ration cards but wanted it to issue white cards to all the eligible.

Talking to the media, party spokesmen Dr. P. Bhaskara Rao and G. Raja Reddy said it was good the Government had woken up to the need to correct its mistakes. It should also own the responsibility for the injustice caused to the deserving poor and the loss to the exchequer.

The spokesmen pointed out that the Government which took up many schemes on a saturation basis like issue of white ration cards, grant of INDIRAMMA houses, sanction of pensions and treatment under ‘Arogyasree’ allowed them to be abused by ruling party leaders and workers with an eye on elections. Even according to the Chief Minister himself, there are 30 lakh bogus ration cards while unofficial estimates put them at 80 lakh. All these have involved an avoidable loss of a few thousands of crores to the exchequer.

Dr. Bhaskara Rao and Mr. Raja Reddy said such a huge scam cannot be swept under the carpet by terming it as an administrative lapse. They demanded that an inquiry be conducted into the scam and action taken against the guilty. After all a scam of such a magnitude would not have taken place without the support and encouragement of top politicians and officials.

The Lok Satta leaders also demanded that the Government recover the money siphoned by ineligible beneficiaries and local leaders in the implementation of the INDIRAMMA housing scheme, instead of merely punishing employees.

Centralization of power at Root of our ills: Dr. JP

2009-06-25T18:18:00.002+05:30

The bane of governance in India is the centralization of power and emasculation of local governments, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said yesterday.

"The local governments are structurally strong going by the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution which are lengthier than the American Constitution. But they are functionally feeble."

He was addressing the Emerging Markets Forum, which met in Mumbai, focusing on the theme of "Creating an affluent society in India by 2039 on par with the U. S. and Europe."

Emerging Markets Forum is a network of thought leaders, opinion makers, policy formulators and business people who come together to discuss issues of global and national significance. It is mainly a network of leading minds, who create a platform for an open and informed debate focused on emerging markets. The conference was organized by IDFC and supported by the Express group along with the Bombay Chamber of Commerce.

Speaking on governance reforms, Dr. JP pointed out that many districts in India are bigger than 50 percent of the countries in the world and the metropolitan cities are larger than 80 percent of the countries. Yet the local governments have been made irrelevant. No wonder, most people in the country do not know the names of Mayors of even large metropolitan cities in India, unlike those of London, New York or Mexico City.

Dr. JP said that power had been concentrated so much that there are only three decisions makers in India - the PM, the CM and the DM (district magistrate).

He called for genuine decentralization with devolution of powers, responsibilities, resources and personnel on the local governments. The people would not realize the importance of their vote unless they appreciated how it was going to transform their lives. Otherwise they would succumb to short-term sops or money and liquor offered by political parties.

Dr. JP underlined the need for civil service reforms. India is perhaps the only modern democracy in the world, which clings to institutions created by colonial rulers a century and half ago.

The Lok Satta President said that decentralization should provide for local policing and local courts. There has been a market demand for criminals and thugs because the people could not depend on the police and the courts to render them timely justice.

Dr. JP asserted that India could not be transformed unless competent people with leadership qualities entered politics as they did during the freedom movement. People like Jawaharlal Nehru, Dadabhai Naoroji, Chittaranjan Das, Prakasam Pantulu, Subhash Chandra Bose and Vallabhbhai Patel started their political by taking interest in local civic affairs and emerged as national leaders during the freedom struggle. "Since there is now an absence of such leaders, sons and daughters of politicians and criminals have filled the vacuum. People are thirsting for change and waiting for a miracle. But the miracle won't happen unless the educated young and middle class people plunge into politics."

Among those who took part in the EMF proceedings were EMF Chairman and Philippines former President Fidel V. Ramos, Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan, former Mexican President Vincent Fox and former Union Minister Arun Shourie, economist Sankar Acharya, political scientists Prof. Asutosh Varshney and Prof. Inder Sud and Maharashtra Lok Satta President Surendra Srivatsava.

Lok Satta allotted 'whistle'

2009-06-25T18:18:00.001+05:30

The State Election Commission has decided to include ‘whistle’ among free symbols and allot it to the Lok Satta Party as requested by it.

In a letter to Mr. V. Laxman Balaji, General Secretary of the Lok Satta Party, Mr. G. M. Ramesh Kumar, Secretary of the Election Commission, said, “this is an interim arrangement restricted to GHMC elections only and will not confer any right on the Lok Satta Party to claim the same symbol in future local body elections.”

This was disclosed at a media briefing by party spokesmen V. Laxman Balaji and Mohd Ishaq Khan here today.

The Lok Satta Party had contested the May 2008 by-elections to the Assembly and the 2009 general elections to the Assembly and the Lok Sabha on the ‘whistle’ symbol.

Lok Satta revamping district units

2009-06-24T16:41:00.001+05:30

The Lok Satta Party has constituted an 18-member committee to go round districts and evaluate the district units’ performance as a prelude to the reshuffling of office-bearers. Based on the feedback from the committee, the revamp will be undertaken by the State leadership. The party had already declared that the earlier elected committees would function as ad hoc committees pending reorganization.

Giving this information here today, Mr. V. Vijayender Reddy and E. Chennayya told the media that the 18 members of the committee would split themselves into six groups for the district visits.

The spokesmen made it clear that performance of the party units during the just concluded Assembly and Lok Sabha elections would be the criterion for their evaluation. Under no circumstances would office bearers who harmed party interests would be tolerated.

The committee members would also enlighten district units on the new categories of membership -- primary, executive and honorary – and motivate them to enroll 20 lakh primary members.

The party would appoint four persons to be in charge of divisions in the four parliamentary constituencies in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. It is in the process of drawing up division-wise agendas as part of its campaign for the GHMC elections.

The party regretted that the Chief Minister injected religion into administration by ordering rituals to propitiate the rain God.

Dr. JP key speaker at world conference

2009-06-23T18:57:00.000+05:30

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan will be a key speaker at the Emerging Markets Forum’s fourth world conference being organized in Mumbai on June 24 and 25 and in New Delhi on June 26.

The Washington DC-based forum, comprising political, corporate and social activists, aims at finding practical solutions to common political, economic and social problems the developing markets face.

Among those taking part in the forum’s conference are the EMF Chairman and Philippines former President Fidel V. Ramos, Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, World Trade Organization Deputy Director General Alejandro Jara, former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan, former Mexican President Vincent Fox and former Union Ministers Arun Shourie and Suresh Prabhu.

Dr. JP will be addressing the forum on administrative and political reforms. The Bombay Chamber of Commerce is hosting the three-day conference.

Lok Satta to name young candidate For Mayor’s position

2009-06-23T16:55:00.000+05:30

The Lok Satta Party would choose a young candidate for the Mayor’s post and announce the name soon, party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has announced.

Addressing young professionals from Secunderabad who joined the party under the leadership of Mrs. Akula Maharani, Dr. JP said the Mayor candidate would be picked up from among the young who have leadership qualities, clear understanding of problems and commitment.

The GHMC elections, he told the youth, provided a golden opportunity to transform Hyderabad into a world-class and most livable city of which every one could be proud. Every young man and woman should realize it was possible if they utilized the most powerful weapon in their hands – the vote.

Dr. JP said that after detailed studies and great deliberation, the Lok Satta is giving five irrevocable guarantees all of which can be fulfilled with the resources already available. And the Lok Satta has the sincerity, commitment and competence to fulfill its promises.

The five guarantees are:

Supply of safe drinking water in all colonies and bastis which do not have the facility now with the installation of reverse osmosis plants
Implementing a citizen’s charter under which failure to attend to a public grievance in a specified period invites penalty on the GHMC
Identification and resolution of problems basti-colony wise and implementation of a division agenda in three phases – 100 days, one year and five years respectively.
Devolution of GHMC funds at the rate of Rs.2 crore for each division every year, so that an elected divisional committee could spend it on attending to pressing local problems
Integration of the functioning of the GHMC, Metrowater and Urban Development Authority

Dr. JP called upon the youth who are eager to rid the city permanently of problems concerning drinking water, sanitation, traffic and encroachments to utilize the Lok Satta platform and contest the elections. He told the youth that leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose and Prakasam Pantulu were first civic leaders before they became national leaders. They could get in touch with the party on Tel. Nos. 040-23231818 or 040-40405050 or email their applications to GHMCCandidates@loksatta.org

Lok Satta campaign to amend anti corruption law

2009-06-22T17:02:00.000+05:30

The Lok Satta party has called upon the people and party activists to write to the Chief Minister on the need to plug loopholes in the Prevention of Corruption Act and punish the guilty.

It may be recalled that Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan had presented a draft Bill for amendment of the Act to the Chief Minister and the Speaker of the Assembly in the first session of the Assembly.

The Bill proposes to bring all those elected to public offices including legislators under the purview of the Act. It seeks to tighten several provisions which allow the corrupt to go unscathed now.

The party proposes to mobilize public opinion on the need to eradicate corruption by associating all political parties and civic society organizations.

Talking to the media, party spokespersons Katari Srinivasa Rao and Mrs. S. Manorama requested the Chief Minister to demonstrate that he stood by his promise to eradicate corruption by getting the amendments to the law passed in the Assembly’s budget session.

The party spokespersons strongly condemned Mr. Sarvey Satyanarayana, the Congress MP elected from Malkajgiri, that the people of Kukatpally had committed a blunder by electing Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Lok Satta Party President, as their representative in the Assembly. It was nothing but an affront to the enlightened Kukatpally voters. To claim that development works would be taken up only if the Congress candidates were elected to the GHMC since the party is in power both in the State and at the Center was a travesty of the Constitution and democracy.

Schools in awful shape: Lok Satta

2009-06-21T12:23:00.000+05:30

A Lok Satta sample survey of schools in the public sector in the State has revealed that they continue to be bereft of basic amenities even as the new academic year has begun.

Disclosing this at a media meet, party spokespersons V. Laxman Balaji and Mrs. Gita Murthy said that party volunteers had surveyed some schools in Greater Hyderabad and in Warangal, Nizamabad and Vizianagaram districts.

The survey shows that most schools do not have pucca buildings and in most schools classes are conducted in one or two rooms. Most teachers happen to be volunteers and most of the schools do not have drinking water or toilet facilities. Women teachers in primary schools on Hydernagar Road and in Martanda Nagar, the Zilla Parishad School on Nizampet road and the Urdu school in Hafizpet are forced to knock at neighbor’s doors for want of toilet facilities. The funds earmarked for provision of basic amenities in the Nizampet school were diverted for purchase of 40 computers but all of them remain unutilized. Although there are 800 girl students in three municipal schools in Vizianagaram town, none of them has a toilet.

In addition, students have to reckon with shortage of textbooks and teachers awaiting transfers.

The spokespersons pointed out that the Government has launched a drive for student enrolment in schools with great fanfare. But without providing basic amenities, the Government could not expect the students to excel in their studies. No wonder, even the poorer sections are forced to send their wards to private schools for better education.

The Lok Satta Party has decided to adopt the school on Hydernagar Road in Serilingampalli Assembly constituency and develop it as a model school, said the spokespersons.

Lok Satta to rope in opinion makers

2009-06-19T17:05:00.000+05:30

The Lok Satta Party plans to identify at least 100 influential opinion makers in every Assembly constituency and enlist them as honorary members by invitation.

The party, which conducted a three-day intensive review of its performance in the 2009 elections by interacting with the contestants, came to the conclusion that there was an enormous gulf between the public esteem it enjoyed and the votes it polled.

Disclosing this at a media conference, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said the challenge before the Lok Satta is formidable in that it has to operate amidst a hostile and corrupt political and electoral system to translate its support base into votes.

Dr. JP said that for the first time in a generation the middle classes have realized that politics is a necessity and noble endeavor and owned up the Lok Satta Party and its agenda as their own.

Transformation in any society, Dr. JP, said was possible only when the middle classes, the media and influential opinion makers joined hands. With the middle classes already on its side, the Lok Satta has to associate the media and influential opinion makers in its mission to transform India. Dr. JP hoped that the media, as a moral instrument, would in the long run identify itself with the interests and aspirations of the middle classes. The real challenge lay in providing space to public opinion makers with ability and influence. The Lok Satta would identify such people and enlist them as honorary members.

The party identified deficiencies in leadership, organization and resources as responsible for its poor electoral performance. The party needed leaders of quality and integrity, clean money to run honest politics and a robust organization. To address all the issues together, the party decided to create an institutional mechanism.

The party plans to have three types of members. The most important category is the executive membership. It is open to all citizens with a good personal track record. They pay an annual membership fee of Rs.1000 or Rs.100 a month. They will have the right to contest at every level in organizational elections. They will also be entrusted with the task of identifying candidates to contest to elected offices.

The other two types of members are primary members and associate members. Primary members pay a fee of Rs.100 for three years and enjoy the right to vote in village and mandal organizational elections in rural areas and ward/divisional elections in urban areas. Associate members pay a fee of Rs.10 and enjoy the right to vote in party elections at the local level.

Dr. JP said that honorary members enlisted by the party would enjoy all the privileges of executive members.

The revamping of the organization has been so conceived that it facilitates mobilization of resources from members and emergence of leaders, said Dr. JP.