Press Releases Archive

Drop Cases Against Basheer Bagh Rally Leaders: Lok Satta

The Lok Satta Party today demanded that the Government drop the CID move to file charge-sheets against people who led the movement against the hike in power tariffs in 2000.

Addressing a media conference, Lok Satta Party General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao said that leaders like Survaram Sudhakar Reddy (CPI), B. V. Raghavulu (CPM), Gummadi Narsaiah (New Democracy), and Mrs. Punyavati were sought to be accused of entering into a criminal conspiracy and instigating violence.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao said the Government apparently wants to subdue opposition by framing such atrocious cases 12 years after the Basheer Bagh firing incident. Violence might have erupted when the police tried to suppress a legitimate agitation. The Government should handle such issues politically.

Mr. M. Satyanarayana, President, Lok Satta Party's Greater Hyderabad unit, demanded that the Metro Water Board drop its irrational move to slap separate water bills on each portion of a house drawing water from a single connection. The board can raise tariff if absolutely necessary but under no circumstances should cast a burden on people by charging them separately when there is no increase in the quantum of water drawn.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that the Metro Water Board is collecting exorbitant deposits for giving water connections and its employees provide the connection only when their hands are greased. It supplies contaminated water even to this day forgetting that polluted water killed 14 people in Bholakpur in the city a couple of years ago. Billing is done just for 50 percent of the water it supplies and God only knows who the water thieves are. Against such a backdrop, the Metro Water Board is planning to punish people who pay their water bills regularly.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao also took exception to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation move to raise property tax steeply. Its record in maintaining sanitation, drainage system, and traffic facilities is awful. People are falling victims to diseases like dengue and malaria because the corporation has failed to contain the mosquito menace.

The Lok Satta will mobilize people against the move to hike property tax, Mr. Srinivasa Rao warned.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao appealed to students and youth not to commit suicide, referring to the instance of Osmania student D. Santosh ending his life in the cause of Telangana. They should live and fight for their demands, he added.

Thursday, November 8, 2012 - 19:12

Lok Satta calls for modernization of drainage system

The State Government's failure to improve the drainage system has compounded the loss inflicted by cyclone Neelam on standing crops like paddy and cotton in several districts, charged the Lok Satta Party today.

In a media statement, Lok Satta Party General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao pointed out that drains have not been de-silted in many districts since 1995.

Mr. Srinivsa Rao said it was unfortunate that the Chief Minister during his latest review of the impact of Neelam confined himself to repairing breaches to the irrigation system and paying compensation to farmers. He wanted the Government to focus immediately on modernization of the drainage system.

The Lok Satta leader wanted the Government to provide dryers for drying rain-immersed paddy and ensure its purchase at the minimum support price.

In the absence of elected local Governments, there is lack of coordination among different agencies in extending relief to cyclone victims, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.

The Lok Satta Party has formed two teams to facilitate extension of relief to victims and assess cyclone losses.

The relief team comprises Mr. P. Rambabu of Srikakulam (97108 84656), Mr. Bhisetty Babji of Vizianagaram (98770 17413), Mr. Venugopal of Visakhapatnam (92956 58255) and Mr. Y. D. Rama Rao of East Godavari (98480 80867). Those who would like to provide relief can contact the team members.

The loss assessment team comprises Prof. D. Vishnu Murthy, Mr. Poli Naidu, Mr. Suresh, Mr. Y. D. Rama Rao and Mr. Bhsisetty Babji (Convener). The committee will submit its reports to district collectors as also the party headquarters.

Mr. Srinivsa Rao conveyed Lok Satta Party's condolences to bereaved families.

Monday, November 5, 2012 - 18:46

Dr. JP to address on corruption at Goa conference

Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan will be addressing a global conference on the corruption menace in India at Bambolim near Panjim in Goa on Sunday, November 4.

Tehelka magazine is organizing the event titled THiNK 2012 to discuss key disciplines like politics, technology, science, economics, environment, medicine, cinema and sports that impact human affairs around the globe.

Dr. JP will speak on the nature of corruption in India and how it is to be comabted and analyze the deficiencies in the recent anti-corruption movements. He willexplain how the nexus between politics and big business can be moderated and how a new politics for a new India should be forged.

Participants in this year’s event include Messrs Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Salman Khurshid, Sitaram Yechury, Praful Patel, Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Gopal Subramaniam, Ulka Mahajan, Shiv Shankar Menon and Shahrukh Khan.

Sunday, November 4, 2012 - 10:22

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