Press Releases Archive

Titanium scandal is an opportunity to tighten anti corruption laws: Dr. JP

Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today suggested that the unfolding titanium mining scam in Andhra Pradesh be viewed as an opportunity to usher in laws to ensure sure and swift punishment to the corrupt.

It may be recalled that the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation has asked the State Crime Investigation Department to “provisionally arrest” Mr. K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, MP and Adviser to Late Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in connection with the mining license scam.

KVP has been named along with five others by a US grand jury for their suspected roles in an $18.5 million scheme to bribe Indian officials for a titanium mining contract in Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. JP said that corruption can be mitigated to a large extent if special courts are constituted to go into allegations against politicians and officials and swift and deterrent punishment, including confiscation of the entire property of the corrupt is awarded. The corrupt should be made to face the prospect of losing power, prestige, property and a long jail term. If such punishments are meted out to people in ten cases in every state per year, corruption could be curbed.

Addressing a media conference, Dr. JP said that under a law enacted in the US in 1977, American companies cannot give bribes to further their business in other countries. Lockheed officials who bribed Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka were jailed under the law. The Japanese Prime Minister had to quit. Celebrated CEO Rajat Gupta of Indian origin was sentenced to a jail term and hefty fine for abetting insider trading in shares. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to a 14-year jail term for seeking election campaign funds for nominating a senator. An Indian doctor couple had to part with all properties and undergo a jail term for defrauding the American healthcare system.

Dr. JP also demanded that the Union Government bring back nearly $500 billion illegally stashed abroad by Indians on a war footing and prevent stashing of nearly $80 billion a year. Such a measure will come in handy to tackle current account deficit problems and funding the sorely needed infrastructure in the country.

Dr. JP recalled that he had submitted a Bill to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2009 itself to the then Chief Minister Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu. They had been trading allegations of corruption against each other in the Assembly. Once he took the initiative, the two sparring parties entered into an unwritten truce and kept quiet subsequently. It is time the parties stopped enacting such dramas, Dr. JP said.

Dr. JP called for allotment of scarce natural resources like spectrum, iron ore and coal mines on transparent, competitive bidding to ward off corruption. The Supreme Court cancelled the illegally awarded 122 2-G spectrum licenses on a petition filed by the Loksatta and helped the Government raise more than Rs.50000 crore in re-auction of a part of spectrum.

Dr. JP also underlined the need for replacing the first-past-the post electoral system by proportional representation to curb corruption. How can the political system remain clean if candidates are ready to cough up Rs.50 crore to get the party ticket and spend Rs.100 crore to get elected. When politics thus becomes business, corruption is inevitable.

Dr. JP said that voters in Malkajgiri from where he is contesting for the Lok Sabha are fed up with the business of politics and are coming forward in larger numbers day by day to support him. He has no doubt that dharma will triumph over money in Malkajgiri.

Dr. JP conveyed his condolences to the family of Mrs. Sobha Nagireddy, MLA, who died in a tragic road accident. Transcending party differences, she maintained cordial relations with everyone, he recalled.

Loksatta Party leaders Bandaru Ramamohan Rao, V. Vijayender Reddy, Panduranga Rao and Mohd. Ghouse took part in the media conference.

Thursday, April 24, 2014 - 18:53

Dr. JP’s campaign schedule on Apr. 24

Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, who is contesting for the Lok Sabha from Malkajgiri, will undertake road shows in Uppal and Medchal Assembly constituencies on Thursday, April 24.

In Uppal constituency, he will cover Habsiguda Kakatiya Nagar Park, Uppal bus stand, Boduppal Kaman, Buddhanagar and Bus Depot areas from 7-00 a.m. to 1-00 p.m.

In Medchal constituency, he will cover Keesara Chowrasta , Rampalli, Satyanarayana Colony, Nagaram, Siddhartha Colony, Dammaiguda and Saipriya Colony from 3-00 p.m. to 10-00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 - 19:41

Malkajgiri witnessing a fight between dharma and money: Dr. JP

Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today described the contest for Malkajigiri Lok Sabha seat as a fight between dharma and money and exuded confidence of dharma winning over money in the defining election.

Addressing a media conference, Dr. JP who is contesting the seat, said he has heard rumors of some candidates spending up to Rs.150 crore each in the constituency and added that politics has come to mean mere money.

It is, therefore, no surprise that forces which are bent upon continuing the status quo are mortally afraid of the Loksatta Party which is seeking votes on the plank of changing the nature of politics and governance without offering any inducements to voters.

Referring to movie star Pavan Kalyan’s decision to support the TDP candidate in Maljigiri although he had pledged to campaign for the Loksatta earlier, Dr. JP said he could understand the pressures and influences Pavan was subjected to and the agonizing dilemma he had to contend with. Pavan, he recalled, had originally thought of contesting from Malkajgiri. but dropped his idea later deeming him (Dr. JP) as the right candidate. He had openly expressed support and offered to campaign for Dr. JP

Dr. JP said he was moved by Pavan’s gesture. “Pavan is a sincere and guileless person who is burning with a desire for the development of Telugu people and the country. I can understand his compulsions and pressures.”

Within minutes of learning of Pavan’s decision, Dr. JP said, he had sent an SMS to Pavan saying that his decision “will not harm our friendship and mutual regard. I wish you all the very best in your endeavors.”

Dr. JP said Pavan’s decision highlights to what extent traditional political forces are trembling over the threat posed by forces standing for dharma.

Dr. JP underlined that elections are not about the future of political parties or their candidates but are about the future of people exercising their franchise. Elections should not be viewed as an exercise to change players but as a means to transform the system. The real hero in the elections is the ordinary voter and not the contesting candidates.

Dr. JP explained that he is in the field with a clear-cut agenda. He will fight for spending about Rs.7000 crore on improving drinking water, drainage and sewerage facilities in Hyderabad. He will work for ensuring a per capita grant of Rs.1000 to every ward in the city so that elected people’s representatives can attend to people’s pressing problems. Citizens should be entitled to time-bound Government services. Public transport should be improved with Metro Rail, MMTS, and RTC services being brought under a single agency. There should be uninterrupted power supply in Hyderabad.

Dr. JP said he would work for ensuring that the Government of India fulfills the promises it had made to the two emerging States on the eve of bifurcation. He will work for creation of one crore jobs a year in the manufacturing sector. He will strive for replacement of the first-past-the-post system by proportional representation so that the best and the brightest can enter legislative bodies.

State Loksatta Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao and party leaders P. Bhaskara Rao and Narra Sridhar took part in the media conference.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 - 17:58

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