Press Releases Archive
Act on CAG report and punish the Guilty: Dr. JP
The Lok Satta Party today charged the Government with presenting the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on gross irregularities in land allocations deliberately on the last day of the Assembly's budget session with a view to avoiding a discussion.
In a media statement, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan disclosed that the CAG had submitted the report on Government land allocations between 2006 and 2011 several months ago.
Dr. JP faulted the Government for its indifference to allegations of corruption and irregularities in land allocations and treating it as a matter to be looked into by the Supreme Court or the CBI. The State Government is duty bound to order an inquiry, identify officials and people's representatives guilty of either indulging in corruption and irregularities or abetting them, and initiate action against them. Instead, the Government is turning a blind eye to unbridled loot of public resources and indirectly licensing corruption.
Dr. JP recalled that the Lok Satta Party and other Opposition parties had exposed in the Assembly how the Government sacrificed public interest in land allocations. The CAG report has merely confirmed their charges by adducing additional evidence.
Dr. JP demanded that the CAG report be brought under the purview of the proposed House committee to review land allotments.
The Government should announce a land and natural resource allotment policy anchored in transparency, competition and public interest. It should not give scope for loot of natural resources in future, Dr. JP added.
Chandrababu has spilled electoral Beans: Lok Satta
By inference Mr. Chandrababu conceded that a party in power which amassed illegal money had no problem in squandering it in elections, pointed out Lok Satta Party General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao in a media statement.
The TDP, given to distributing illegal money in sachets, feels outsmarted by the YSR Congress, which doles out money in bags. Mr. Chandrababu seems to be pouring out his agony over the YSR Congress and the Congress Party now in power spending huge amounts in elections.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that those who sow the wind reap the whirlwind. If Andhra Pradesh has become notorious for splurging black money in elections, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu is one of those who have to share the blame. That all traditional parties including the TDP spent Rs.70 crore in the recent by-election to the Kovur Assembly seat is an open secret. Cash worth millions of rupees was seized from a TDP leader's residence. Media reports talked of the traditional parties spending up to Rs.200 crore in the seven by-elections to the Assembly.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao recalled that no traditional party including the TDP has so far responded to the Lok Satta call for abjuring distribution of money and liquor in elections. If Mr. Chandrababu is sincere and serious, he should join hands with the Lok Satta Party for cleansing the political and electoral system.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao appealed to media and civil society to ponder wherefrom parties like the Congress, TDP and YSR Congress raised money for holding meetings and rallies, and distributing money and liquor during elections.