Press Releases Archive

Lok Satta opposes reservations Beyond 50 percent

The Lok Satta Party has reiterated its stand that caste-based reservations for admission to educational institutions and jobs in the Government should under no circumstances be raised beyond 50 percent as stipulated by the Supreme Court.

The party’s Working Committee, which concluded its two-day session yesterday, wanted the Government to deny reservations to the creamy layer and those who have already become prosperous and enjoyed high positions because of reservations.

Briefing media on the party’s deliberations, Working President D. V. V. S. Varma, and leaders Bhisetty Babji, P. Bhaskara Rao and Eda Chennayya said that 10 percent grace marks be awarded in competitive examinations to rural children and poor urban children without reference to their caste or religion. Such an arrangement would render justice to disadvantaged children.

The party demanded that the Government ensure quality education including English and computers to all children up to the 12th standard. TheGovernment should also ensure that no eligible and desirous student is denied the opportunity to pursue higher education because of poverty.

The leaders pointed out that in the changed political situation an attempt is under way to raise caste-based reservations to serve the short-term political interests of certain sections.

The party recalled that the Supreme Court had not merely capped the reservations for weaker sections at 50 percent but also declared the ceiling formed part of the basic structure of the Constitution. The Supreme Court faulted the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments which exceeded the cap by adopting laws and getting them incorporated in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution and said it would review the Ninth Schedule itself if other States followed suit.

A lasting solution to the growing demands for caste-based reservations lies not in succumbing to them but to provide growth opportunities to all irrespective of the accident of their birth in a particular caste or religion.

The Lok Satta Party demanded that the Government scrap the Tenancy Act and adopt a new law which will enable tenants to access bank loans, input subsidies and crop insurance without hurting landowners’ interests. It appealed to the Government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal verdict.

It asked people to pin down elected people’s representatives during ‘rachchabanda’ on provision of relief to rain-hit farmers and tenants, removal of all restrictions on movement of agricultural produce and remunerative prices.

The party decided to implement an action plan on the problems of farmers in rural areas and delivery of civic services in urban areas from February 1. It will be undertaking a membership enrolment drive and holding organizational elections at the village and ward levels in phases.

Saturday, January 22, 2011 - 19:33

Judicial reforms need of the hour: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said today that protecting the independence, credibility, and moral authority of the Indian judiciary is of paramount importance in protecting the unity and integrity of India.

Taking part in a National Convention here on Judicial Reforms, Dr. JP recalled that the Supreme Court has emerged as the last bastion in preserving India’s unity. It is playing a historic role by addressing explosive issues like the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid dispute, tensions over caste reservations and inter-State and intra-State disputes on issues ranging from regional discrimination to water sharing and capricious allocation of scarce resources like 2 G spectrum.

Dr. JP pointed out that democracy cannot work unless we have an independent and effective judiciary. In this connection, he quoted what American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr had to say on democracy, "Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary."

Dr. JP suggested that the Government of India undertake four judicial reforms without further loss of time. They are:

Constitution of a high-power National Judicial Commission with the Vice President of India in the chair. The commission will be responsible for appointment of men and women of competence and unimpeachable integrity to higher judiciary and removal of errant judges.

Constitution of an Indian Judicial service on the lines of the Indian Administrative Service. As of now, bright and competent lawyers are shunning the Bench. The Government can attract talent if there is a prestigious Indian Judicial Service. Parliament has to enact a law facilitating the formation of the service since the Constitution provides for it.

Constitution of at least 5000 rural courts as envisaged by the Gram Nayayalaya Act and an increase in the number of judges. Millions of poor people are shunning courts, as they are expensive and inaccessible. Instead, they are taking recourse to criminals and gangsters who dispense rough and ready justice for a price. The failure of the judicial system has created a huge market demand for criminals. Criminals, with political connections, are minting money by taking up land settlements etc.

Reforming procedural laws. The present laws like the Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Penal Code, which are lawyer friendly, must be made citizen friendly.

Dr. JP, who has played a leading role in advocating all the reforms, said he is happy that a broad consensus has emerged over the need for and urgency of reforms. The Government should institutionalize the reforms as early as possible, he said.

Saturday, January 22, 2011 - 19:29

AP in deep economic crisis: Dr. JP

Andhra Pradesh has plunged into a deep economic crisis with the rate of growth now slumping to three to four percent from the much touted 10 to 11 percent, said Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today.

Addressing members of the party’s State Working Committee and district unit presidents and secretaries, Dr. JP said that the economic slump was the culmination of policies pursued by successive governments over the years.

The future of the youth in Andhra Pradesh is becoming bleaker and bleaker by the day, he said and referred to the strides Gujarat is making. ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ convened by Chief Minister Narendra Modi attracted investment proposals running into USD 300-400 billion, with a potential to create five million jobs.

Andhra Pradesh’s growth rate is the lowest among all large States in the country. It will touch the nadir if the Union Government does not take an early decision on the demands for and against bifurcation of the State, he warned.

The Srikrishna Committee comprising experts has given its findings on claims and counter-claims on the backwardness of and discrimination against certain regions of the State. The Union Government has to take a decision that safeguards the interests of all regions of the State and the nation. If all the concerned adopt a policy of reconciliation and give and take in true democratic spirit, a solution is possible, he added.

Referring to the verdict of the Krishna Water Dispute tribunal, Dr. JP said it could not be questioned in the Supreme Court. The State could, however, seek certain clarifications and guarantees even as the verdict is implemented. The State could ask the tribunal to assess the water in the Krishna based on 75 percent dependability and allocate it to different States even as it sticks to its allocation of waters surplus to that estimate. The State should ask the Union Government to constitute a powerful and autonomous Krishna Water Control Authority to ensure that no injustice is caused to the lower riparian State of Andhra Pradesh. The State Government should seek a categorical assurance from the tribunal that Andhra Pradesh need not share the Godavari water it diverts to the Krishna basin at its own cost with other States. With the tribunal allocating all the Krishna surplus water among the riparian States, the other States should have no objection to such diversion. The State Government should view the diversion of the Godavari water to the Krishna basin as a life and death issue for farming in the delta. Once the Godavari water and projects downstream of Nagarjunasagar take care of the requirements of the Krishna delta, the Nagarjunasagar waters should be utilized to irrigate areas in Khammam and Nalgonda districts in Telangana, and Prakasam, Guntur and Nellore districts in Coastal Andhra. The waters in the Srisailam reservoir could be utilized for irrigating parched lands in Rayalaseema.

On the 2 G spectrum scam, Dr. JP said the Lok Satta had taken the lead in filing the writ petition seeking cancellation of allocations and added he was confident of the court conceding its plea.

He also disclosed that the three greatest living jurists of India – Justice Krishna Iyer, Chief Justice M. N. Venkatachalaiah and Chief Justice J. S. Verma – had agreed, at the instance of the Lok Satta, to propose constitution of a National Judicial Commission to the Union Government. The commission will be in charge of appointment and removal of the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, in the context of the higher judiciary coming under a cloud in the recent past. The nation is facing the danger of descending into anarchy because of lack of direction and legitimacy of the political class. We have to enhance the credibility and moral authority of the Supreme Court so that it in turns helps preserve the country’s unity, Dr. JP said.

Dr. JP called upon party leaders to be prepared for a long-drawn movement transcending parties on behalf of farmers. Despite concerted efforts, the Lok Satta and other parties have failed to persuade the State and Union Governments on conversion of damaged paddy into boiled rice for export purposes.

Maintaining that the Lok Satta Party enjoyed tremendous credibility because of its principled and consistent policies and indomitable courage, he conceded it did not translate into organizational strength. He wanted party leaders to take up causes concerning farmers and youth and economic growth in general by transcending political differences.

Party Working President D. V. V. S. Varma shared the dais with Dr. JP.

Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 17:00

Pages