Press Releases Archive

All politics is local, Dr. JP tells youth

All politics is local, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan told youth today.

Addressing student participants in a three-day training program organized by youth for a Better India (YBI) in Hyderabad, Dr. JP advised them to focus on local problems and strive to bring about a transformation in people’s lives.

“I do not have even an iota of doubt about the new generation’s ability and competence to transform India,” Dr. JP said and added it might to have slog until it succeeds. “You cannot generate steam until you boil water up to 100 degrees C.”

Transformation in India does not take place until those who are sincere and committed and have the competence take the lead. They will, however, succeed only when people appreciate what is good for them and choose to elect the right people to represent them. Which of the two precedes or follows is asking the egg and chick question.

Dr. JP bemoaned that the educated and the middle class, who viewed politics as demeaning and politicians as wretched, refrained from going to the polling booth. If only they had voted for the Lok Satta Party in the 2009 elections, the State would have witnessed a transformation in politics even without the party coming into power.

Mr. D. Narasimha Rao, Coordinator, YBI, said that about 5000 students would be trained in leadership responsibilities in the next two years. The training focused on utilizing the provisions of the Right to Information Act, youth empowerment, and movements against corruption and campaigns on local issues.

Saturday, June 4, 2011 - 20:47

Vigorous efforts necessary to unearth black money stashed abroad: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said today that the Government of India should vigorously pursue all avenues to ferret out black money stashed abroad by Indians.

Pledging his support to Baba Ramdev’s demand for recovering the illegal money secreted in foreign accounts, Dr. JP said that the Government of India should not delay the process further, now that it has become a signatory to the UN Convention against corruption.

According to one reliable estimate, Indians have parked about $463 billion, equivalent to about Rs.20 lakh crore, in offshore accounts.

The Government of India could emulate methods adopted by countries like the U. S., which have succeeded in unearthing Americans’ undisclosed offshore bank accounts and made them pay punitive taxes.

Dr. JP said that corruption could be curbed only if laws ensure sure and swift punishment of the guilty with rigorous long-term imprisonment and confiscation of their entire, not merely ill gotten, property.

Pointing out that real estate transactions are one of the primary sources for black money generation, Dr. JP suggested that the Government rationalize stamp duty to dissuade people from under-valuing property to minimize tax incidence. The Government should also utilize the legal provisions under which it can acquire property at the undervalued price.

Institution of a powerful and independent Lok Pal is necessary but not sufficient, said Dr. JP and added that the war against corruption has to be waged on many fronts.

Dr. JP underlined the need for electoral reforms to facilitate the best and the brightest to get elected to office without having to splurge money. Otherwise, politics continues to breed corruption. Decentralization of power and empowerment of people are essential to ensure that people understand the link between taxes and services, and authority and accountability, Dr. JP said.

Dr. JP will be taking part in a program in support of Baba Ramdev’s fast at Gymkhana Grounds in Secunderabad on June 4 at 9-30 a.m. Giving this information, Lok Satta Party State General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao appealed to Lok Satta cadre and all people committed to fighting corruption to take part in the program.

Friday, June 3, 2011 - 19:58

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