Press Releases Archive

Dr. JP to deliver keynote address On Electoral reforms

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan will be delivering the keynote address at a national seminar on electoral reforms at Thiruvananthapuram on July 10, 2010.

C. Achyutha Memon Study Centre & Library, Thiruvananthapuram, and Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, are jointly organizing the seminar to discuss the entire gamut of electoral reforms ranging from restructuring of the Election Commission and reforming of the electoral system to curbing the use of money and muscle power in elections.

Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari, Governor R.S. Gavai, Kerala Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy took part in the inaugural function on July 8.

Former Election Commissioners, political scientists, jurists, eminent journalists, social activists, besides national leaders of political parties are attending the three-day seminar.

Dr. JP left for Thiruvananthapuram this evening.

Friday, July 9, 2010 - 22:51

Lok Satta condemns liquor lobby Attacks on party activists

The Lok Satta Party today condemned the arrest of and physical assault on its activists, now on a State-wide campaign demanding restriction of liquor consumption, including closure of illegal outlets (belt shops) and sitting rooms attached to licensed shops.

The Ongole police arrested nearly 40 Lok Satta activists including State party General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao, district party President Allu Siva Ramesh Reddy, State Yuva Satta leaders Dasari Ratnam and P. Sivaji as they attempted to prevent open drinking at a licensed shop on the night of July 8. The police would not heed the Lok Satta leaders’ assertion that they could arrest people violating law under Section 43 of the Criminal Procedure Code and hand them over to the authorities for follow up action. The police later released them on instructions from the Superintendent of Police.

On July 9, liquor vendor supporters assaulted Narasaraopet Mahila Satta President G. Nirmala Bose as she and other activists tried to close down unauthorized liquor outlets in Vennadevi village of Sattenapalli mandal in Guntur district.

Giving this information, Lok Satta Party leaders Bhisetty Babji, V. Laxman Balaji and V. Vijayender Reddy said in a statement that the incidents mirrored the deep roots struck by the liquor lobby in the State with the support of the State Government and traditional political parties or ‘Sara parties’ standing for sampradaya rajakiya pakshalu.

The Lok Satta Party leaders said that far from cooperating with Lok Satta activists in enforcing laws, the police and excise wings have chosen to ignore the liquor lobby’s illegal activities.

Friday, July 9, 2010 - 17:26

Schools without teachers and Teachers sans students

As many as 5774 primary schools in Andhra Pradesh do not have even a single teacher and there are as many as 3193 schools with less than ten students in each.

Disclosing this here today, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today said that the data eloquently testified to the incompetent and irrational administration of education in the State.

What is more shocking is that that as many as 399 schools with not a single teacher have more than 100 students each and 1562 schools have less than five students each.

Talking to the media on the Legislative Assembly premises, Dr. JP pointed out successive Governments’ callous attitude towards primary education in the public sector has been forcing the poor like daily wage earners and vegetable vendors to send their wards to private schools. They shell out a huge portion of their hard earned income on private school education in the belief they will get better education.

Dr. JP charged that successive Governments have chosen to keep the poor children illiterate or semi literate or poorly educated to serve their narrow interests. After all education empowers people and enables them to conquer poverty and fight corrupt governments.

As of now, tens of thousands of children are condemned to a life of poverty and drudgery for no fault of theirs except the accident of the womb. As there are too many schools with too few children, the schools and the teachers get away without any monitoring worth the name.

Dr. JP demanded that the Government shed its apathy and negligence at least now and restructure primary education ensuring that there are at least 20000 well-equipped schools with 100 children and five teachers each. As of now there are 56963 schools with 27 lakh students on rolls and 111000 teachers.

Dr. JP said that the State Government had displayed its ineptness even in utilizing funds granted by the Government of India. The State could spend only Rs.400 crore of the Rs.1100 crore earmarked for Sarva Siksha Abhiyan last year as it could not contribute its share for the Centrally-sponsored scheme. The State will in all probability utilize only Rs.600 crore of the Rs.1800 crore available under the Sarva Siksha and Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyans this year.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010 - 19:02

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