Press Releases Archive

Wild charges undermine fight against corruption, Dr. JP tells Team Anna

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today counseled Team Anna not to undermine our collective fight against corruption by making wild allegations in irrational exuberance and in reckless abandon for principle of elementary fairness and natural justice.

Sharply reacting to Team Anna’s demand for an inquiry by a panel of judges into allegations against Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and 14 other Union Ministers, Dr. JP said in a media statement that assuming every one is corrupt and every Government decision is tainted with corruption unless otherwise proved is a sure recipe for disaster.

“Nothing can be more illogical and untrue than assuming that everyone in politics is bad and those outside politics are angels.

“Those who fight against corruption must have respect for truth and evidence and not rely on hearsay and speculation.”

Dr. JP said the need of the hour today is building institutions and shaping policies that promote integrity and competence and not reviling everybody and creating conditions of anarchy.

“We may or may not like politics and policies of certain leaders. We may even be deeply offended by their approach to certain issues. But it will be a travesty of justice to accuse them of corruption.”

Dr. JP recalled that the Lok Satta took a similar stand when reckless allegations were leveled against Team Anna.

Dr. JP said that there is no place for vindictiveness and malicious propaganda in public life, and quoted Mahatma Gandhi as saying that the best and quickest way of getting justice is rendering justice to the opponent. “If we do not extend adversaries the same courtesy that we seek from them, then society becomes a living hell and nation becomes notional.”

Dr. JP underlined that there are many men and women in public life who maintain high standards of conduct and probity against heavy odds and named leaders like Dr. Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, A. K. Antony, L. K. Advani, Arun Jaitley, Nitish Kumar, Buddadeb Bhattacharya, Navin Patnaik, Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee, Prakash Karat, Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and N. Rangasamy.

Dr. JP asked Team Anna to focus on nation building and not on hitting headlines.

Sunday, May 27, 2012 - 11:41

Dr. JP’s tribute to Chukkapalli

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said that Mr. Chukkapalli Pitchaiah, who passed away at Vijayawada on May 24, was not merely a prominent businessman but also a philanthropist, humanist and ideal citizen.

In a media statement, Dr. JP said that Mr. Pitchaiah regarded himself as a trustee for the money he earned as an ethical businessman and spent part of it for social welfare. The society today needs a large number of people like Mr. Pitchaiah who lived up to Mahatma Gandhi’s trusteeship doctrine. Young business people should regard him as a role model.

Left leaning Pitchaiah developed Popular Shoe Mart to match multinational companies. He tried to promote awareness on social evils like caste by publishing and distributing booklets during events like marriages.

Dr. JP recalled that Mr. Pitchaiah had a soft corner for the Lok Satta and conveyed condolences to his family members and employees.

Friday, May 25, 2012 - 20:00

Minister's arrest reveals only the tip of the iceberg of corruption: Dr. JP

The Central Bureau of Investigation's arrest of Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana indicates how deep the rot in Andhra Pradesh Government is, commented Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today.

"It is a reflection of rampant and habitual abuse of authority, a hallmark of politics and governance in the State for several years," said Dr. JP in a media statement.

He appealed to all sections of people to cooperate with the investigating agencies and help expose and punish the guilty in all corrupt deals involving abuse of power, illegitimate gains to certain favored people, loss to public exchequer and loss of precious natural resources.

Dr. JP pointed out that there are many more in the Government, public sector and corporate world who acted with great impunity and plundered the State. They must be thoroughly investigated and the money flow established in the crimes for which they are charged.

"Above all, the process of justice must be speeded up and a framework created to ensure that everybody, no matter how high, is brought to book."

He called for vastly strengthening the investigative and forensic abilities of the CBI, which as of now does not have adequate resources to investigate mounting and complex corruption cases.

Dr. JP demanded that the CBI, ACB and CBCID be made completely autonomous, accountable and non-political independent bodies. Prosecution of offences should be independent of political and executive control. An independent and strong Lokayukta should be constituted at the State level with adequate powers and resources to deal with corruption.

Dr. JP demanded constitution of special courts to ensure swift and sure justice and confiscation of properties of the corrupt.

"What is happening is the beginning of a process of addressing the challenges of corruption. We must not rest until clean governance and policies are in place."

Thursday, May 24, 2012 - 18:36

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