Press Releases Archive

The Lok Satta Party is engaged in working out a rational power sector policy for Andhra Pradesh in the context of the State Government opting for indiscriminate establishment of power plants and the Opposition blindly opposing every project.

Disclosing this at a media conference, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan quoted Government plans to promote thermal power plants of a total 46,000 mw capacity whereas the State would need a mere 10,000 -15,000 mw of additional power. Encouragement of thermal power generation on such a massive scale would harm the State. In contrast, the Opposition parties’ objection to all thermal power projects held out the threat of the State being plunged into darkness.

Dr. JP said that the Foundation for Democratic Reforms would soon constitute a committee of national experts to hammer out an electricity policy that would safeguard the interests of both the State and the people. The committee would decide what sort of power plants should be set up to meet the State’s requirement of 10,000 mw- 15,000 mw. The plants should not harm either croplands or the environment. The policy should provide for multi-pronged compensation to families displaced by power plants.

Dr. JP said that four experts had already given their consent to be on the proposed committee.

Dr. JP addressed the media after taking part in the party’s State Working Committee meeting at the party headquarters.

Dr. JP said that the State is in the grip of political instability, uncertainty, and crisis. The Government does not seem to know what is good for people, leave alone fulfilling their needs. The Allahabad High Court verdict on the Babri Masjid land title on September 24, the ongoing revolt against rulers in Kashmir and the Srikrishna Committee’s report on the demands for and against State’s bifurcation would accentuate the critical situation the nation and the State are facing. As a responsible party committed to pursuing ethical politics, the Lok Satta is discussing how it should provide a lead to people in the developing context.

Dr. JP said that against the backdrop of corruption getting deeply entrenched in the country, the Lok Satta Party transcending party lines would agitate for the establishment of an autonomous anti corruption mechanism.

Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma, party Working President, said the Working Committee was discussing resolutions to be introduced in the annual General Council meeting next month. The party will undertake programs roping in farmers, the youth and the poor in 50 municipalities and 35 Assembly constituencies.

It is time the country declared a war on corruption since there is a broad consensus not merely on its prevalence but the threat it posed to the future of the country, said Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today.

He was addressing a meeting at the party headquarters after unfurling the national flag to mark Hyderabad State Liberation Day.

Asserting that people belonging to all regions and sections of the country perceived corruption as a common threat, Dr. JP said corruption eradication is possible because Indians per se are not evil people. Systemic changes, for instance, have helped eradicate corruption in the telecom sector. If we ensure that the corrupt are jailed, thrown out of positions of power and disgorged of ill-gotten wealth, corruption will make a hasty retreat.

On the allegations of corruption against some of the former Chief Justices of India, Dr. JP said it was better to expose corruption than to conceal it and we must utilize the occasion to cleanse the system. Sadly, no institution in the country is above the taint of corruption.

Dr. JP said September 17, 1948 witnessed the last and the biggest princely State being integrated with India. It took bloody battles and 23 years for nine kingdoms in Italy and 39 kingdoms in Germany to unite into nations. In contrast, more than 540 princely States were united into Indian Union peacefully and within a year. “We should not take our national unity accomplished by patriots and visionaries like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for granted. We should be ready to make any sacrifice for preserving and promoting our country’s unity and integrity.”

The liberation of Hyderabad State from the Nizam rule has nothing to do with religion. It was a culmination of the struggle for one India under one flag, and against despotic rule waged by all sections of people including the Leftists.

He recalled how the country had to be partitioned because of religious fanaticism and said the cataclysmic event saw 15 million people being displaced, 1.5 million losing their lives and 600,000 people being injured. In the recent past, Yugoslavia has broken into different countries after the death of its President Tito.

Dr. JP said that there forces in the country which are out to disrupt the unity of the country in the name of region, religion, caste and language to serve their partisan end of coming to power at any cost. Power and positions have become means for looting the public and not for serving them. It is, therefore, unfortunate that the integrity of the highest judiciary has come under a shadow even as Hyderabad lawyers, who are supposed to preserve and protect the Constitution have resorted to unprofessional conduct by resorting to violence.