Press Releases Archive

Attach properties of the mining scam accused: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today demanded that criminal cases be instituted against all those involved in the Karnataka iron ore mining scam and their properties attached pending a CBI inquiry and prosecution.

Addressing a media conference, Dr. JP said that mere resignations from the offices they are holding by those indicted by the Karnataka Lokayukta will not do. He hoped that Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa and his colleagues would tender their resignations without further dithering and warned the Opposition Congress and Janata Dal (U) against fishing in troubled waters.

Dr. JP said that the Government attach the properties of all the guilty, including those in the names of their family members and others.

“The era of an end to corruption has just dawned with powerful and moneyed politicians like A. Raja, Kanimozhi, and Suresh Kalmadi being jailed, and the Union Cabinet finally adopting a Bill to constitute an independent and powerful Lokpal. The people of the country are in no mood to condone corruption any longer.”

Dr. JP said the Lokpal Bill will remain incomplete if it does not envisage the constitution of powerful Lokayuktas in States and Ombudsmen in districts. The Lok Satta Party, which has already launched a signature campaign, will redouble its efforts and try to persuade the Parliamentary Standing Committee to incorporate the changes suggested by it.

Dr. JP pointed out that the mining mafia has grown to such an extent that it is dictating politics in both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Successive Governments in both States have allowed the mining mafia to loot the country for personal gains by allocating mines to the chosen ones on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dr. JP said that the Mines and Mineral Development Law being considered by the Union Government should provide for allocation of mines on competitive bidding. The Union Government should also enact a law to tax windfall profits.

Lok Satta Party Working President D. V. V. S. Varma and General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao took part in the media meet.

Thursday, July 28, 2011 - 18:55

Lok Satta launches signature campaign on Lokpal Bill

The Lok Satta Party today launched a signature campaign in Hyderabad city seeking creation of a three-tier, strong anti corruption mechanism at the national, State and district levels. (The party had begun the campaign all over the State on July 25 as part of an Anti Corruption Week).

Party General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao started the campaign under the Yuva Satta auspices at Prakashnagar in Begumpet. The party, he said, would like the proposed Lokpall Bill to also provide for institution of Lokayuktas in States and ombudsmen in districts to combat corruption from top to bottom. He told skeptics that a similar signature campaign had resulted in the adoption of the Right to Information Act.

Among those who took part in the program were party leaders N. Sarojadevi, Gajanani, Vimala, M. Satyanarayana, Ranavir and Manoj.

The Lok Satta plans to collect a million signatures on the representation by the month-end and submit it to the Prime Minister.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - 22:10

2G scam underlines need to strengthen Prime Minister: Dr. JP

Demanding that Mr. A. Raja, former Communications Minister, and all others who defrauded the exchequer in the 2G spectrum licenses scam be meted out exemplary punishment, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today suggested that the nation debate ways and means of strengthening institution of Prime Minister in an era of coalition Governments. The Prime Minister, whether heading a coalition or no coalition, should have unfettered freedom to choose Ministers, allocate portfolios, monitor their functioning, and sack them if necessary, Dr. JP said.

In a media statement, Dr. JP said the country is today paying a heavy price as the ruling establishment because of coalition compulsions failed to act decisively as soon as the scam surfaced.“Although Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s personal integrity is beyond doubt, he could not act against Mr. Raja when he betrayed national interests. Raja was guilty of arbitrarily allocating for a song precious and finite spectrum to fly-by-night operators who had no domain expertise. The operators, without rolling out any services or adding any value, minted millions of rupees by selling it within days.”

There can be no greater glaring act of corruption than this, said Dr. JP and added that the Prime Minister should have sacked the Minister and ordered his prosecution. Instead, the powers that be indulged in legal nit-picking on whether the operators resorted to divestment or dilution of equity.

Dr. JP recalled that he drew the Prime Minister’s attention to the scam as soon as the operators made windfall profits through its sale. Such bold action might have resulted in the Government falling. The Prime Minister ought to have taken the risk of dissolving the Lok Sabha and seeking a fresh mandate.

Dr. JP said that the fall-out of the 2G scam merely underlined the need to strengthen the hands of a Prime Minister in a coalition era. Coalition partners should not weaken the Prime Minister and paralyze administration. It is time the nation debated the best means of strengthening the Prime Minister so that the leadership of the nation is not jeopardized.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - 17:43

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