Press Releases Archive

Dr. JP demands inquiry to corruption charges

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today demanded that the State Government constitute an independent and impartial authority to go into allegations of corruption leveled against each other by Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, and Leader of the Opposition and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu.

In a media statement, Dr. JP welcomed the willingness of the two leaders to face an inquiry and said that a former judge could head the authority. The Anti Corruption Bureau should function under the jurisdiction of the authority and an independent prosecutor drawn from the judiciary should assist it.

Dr. JP said people were losing faith in political parties, leaders and institutions as unbridled corruption involving thousands of crores of rupees had reached monumental proportions. At the national level, corruption charges relating to the 2-G Spectrum allocation, organization of Commonwealth Games, and the Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai in the recent past had tarnished the nation’s reputation. At the State level, corruption charges relating to land allotment for SEZs, mining leases and Jalayagnam, to name a few instances, have become the order of the day.

Dr. JP said that using corruption as a political weapon against rivals served no purpose. People would not regain their faith in institutions unless the corrupt are swiftly jailed and their properties promptly confiscated through powerful, independent, and effective mechanisms.

The Union Government, he said, should take steps to constitute a powerful Lok Pal at the national level to go into allegations of corruption against members of Parliament, Chief Ministers, and civil servants whether in office or out of it. A similar institution should come up at the State level.

He called upon the youth especially to rebel against the corrupt system, which undermined their future.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 - 16:02

Lok Satta asks farmers to get ready to fight

The Lok Satta Party has called upon farmers to get ready for a serious fight against the State and Central Governments which have been depriving them of remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

The party’s State Working Committee, which met here yesterday, said in a resolution that 40 party teams would launch a publicity campaign in 150 mandals as part of its mission to unite farmers, supplementing party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan’s visits to districts. It suggested formation of farmers’ forums at the village level to keep the movement apolitical.

Addressing the media, party Working President D. V. V. S. Varma, General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao and Secretary P. Bhaskara Rao pointed out that the neighboring Karnataka Government collected a mere 1.5 percent market cess on paddy, allowed free movement of rice outside the State and announced a bonus of Rs.100 per quintal. In contrast, the Andhra Pradesh Government which earned Rs.1500 crore by way of tax and cess (totaling 10 percent), would not announce a bonus of Rs.200 a quintal of paddy.

By preventing free movement of rice outside the State and banning exports outside the country, the State and Central Governments are doing grave injustice to farmers. With a bumper crop round the corner and Government and private warehouses brimming with stocks, paddy prices are ruling below the minimum support prices, the party leaders said.

The leaders demanded that the State Government announce a bonus of Rs.200 a quintal above the minimum support price, facilitate pledge loans against paddy stocks in farmers’ homes, purchase discolored paddy and permit movement of rice outside the State. They wanted the Government of India to permit rice exports. The Karnataka Chief Minister would be leading an all-party delegation to Delhi to convince the Government of India on the imperative of exports in the present situation, the party leaders said.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 - 16:46

Emulate Obama and save Indian farmers, Dr. JP tells national leaders

Commending U. S. President Barrack Obama for vigorously pursuing his agenda of creating jobs back at home during his India visit, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today asked why our national leaders do not emulate him and prevent destruction of the Indian economy and millions of people’s jobs and livelihoods.

Addressing the party State Working Committee, Dr. JP said India’s dream of becoming a super power like China would just remain a dream as long as it ignores rural India. The country could not sustain 8 to 10 percent growth in the GDP (gross domestic product) if people in the countryside do not have purchasing power. The per capita income of the 60 percent population wholly dependent on agriculture is a mere Rs.40 a day.

The key to improving the purchasing power lies in ensuring fair and remunerative prices to farmers and tenants for their produce. However, successive Governments at both the Center and in the States have been deliberately suppressing food grain prices under the false pretext of warding off inflation and protecting consumers.

Dr. JP maintained that the Government could raise procurement prices by 40 to 50 percent without adversely affecting consumers. After all, in a State like Andhra Pradesh the public distribution system covers most of the people, and an increase in procurement prices will not hurt them. The Lok Satta Party will demonstrate how rice can be supplied at the prevailing market price even if the farmer is paid up to Rs.1600 a quintal for paddy.

Dr. JP said agriculture in most of the country continues to be a gamble on the monsoon. A farmer or tenant cannot lead a dignified life or consume goods and services provided by the other sectors of the economy if he does not earn a remunerative price for his produce.

Dr. JP recalled the Government of India itself had told the World Trade Organization that the aggregate measure of support to Indian agriculture was a negative 30-40 percent. In contrast, all developed countries like the U. S. go out of the way to support agriculture, some times to a tune of +40% or more.

Dr. JP said that the mission to ensure remunerative prices transcended farmers’ and tenants’ interests. The mission aims at putting village at the center-stage of development so that the country can attain sustained growth and become a super power. He called upon party leaders to visit villages and prepare farmers to lead a united movement for rescuing agriculture and rural economy.

With Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma in the chair, the Working Committee discussed ways and means of taking the movement forward by uniting farmers of different political hues.

Monday, November 8, 2010 - 17:01

Pages