Press Releases Archive

Dr. JP returning today

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan is returning to Hyderabad in the early hours of Wednesday, June 9, 2010 after a month-long visit to the U. S.

Dr. JP traveled from Connecticut to St. Louis taking part in the ‘Rejuvenate India’ campaign launched by People for Lok Satta. He addressed as many as 50 meetings and interacted with thousands of NRIs, most of them youth.

According to Dr. JP, he was overwhelmed by interest among Indians in the U. S. in shaping up India as one of the world’s super powers. It is for the first time that a politician from India has carried on a sustained campaign on rebuilding India and ensuring justice to one and all.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010 - 16:10

Government silencing liquor policy Critics: Lok Satta

The preemptive arrest of Lok Satta Party activists on June 7 was nothing but an attempt at stifling the lone voice of protest against the Andhra Pradesh Government’s pro-active policy of liquor consumption, charged the party here today.

Talking to the media, party leaders Katari Sinivasa Rao, Dr. Panduranga Rao, Mrs. N. Saroja Devi, Dasari Ratnam said the Government trampled upon the democratic right of people to protest peacefully and constitutionally against liquor auctions by arresting Lok Satta Party leaders and workers on their way to the venue of auctions.

While some elected people’s representatives actively took part in the auctions, a majority of them ranging from Parliament Members and State legislators to zilla parishad chairpersons and sarpanches have chosen to maintain a studied silence over liquor auctions. “This is a black day for democracy and good governance,” commented the party leaders.

The Lok Satta leaders said the ‘Prohibition and Excise Department’ has shed Prohibition from its name by working round the clock to boost revenue from liquor shop auctions. Pointing out that some shops attracted bid amounts of nearly Rs.4.5 crore each, the Lok Satta leaders said that such a shopkeeper had to record sales worth Rs.10 lakh a day merely to meet the license fee. No wonder, all those who bagged licenses at astronomical rates would promote and encourage proliferation of unauthorized outlets (belt shops) and boost liquor consumption.

The Lok Satta Party would continue to press the Government to restrict alcohol consumption, which is playing havoc with the lives and economy of millions of poor people in the State.

Monday, June 7, 2010 - 17:22

AP Government violating Excise law: Dr. JP

The Andhra Pradesh Government is violating the spirit of the Constitution and the letter of the Excise law by promoting unbridled liquor consumption through auction of liquor shops, charged Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today.

Dr. JP, now in the U. S. taking part in a ‘Rejuvenate India’ campaign, explained in a statement that the license fee works out to Rs.50000 a day to a dealer who gets it by bidding for Rs.3 crore. To realize the license fee alone, the dealer has to make sales worth Rs.300000 a day. That is possible only when he/she promotes unauthorized outlets, known as belt shops. The Government itself is abetting the violation of the Excise law by ignoring the illegal liquor outlets. Had there been no opposition from women and civic society organizations, the Government would have legalized the illegal outlets by now, Dr. JP said.

Dr. JP added that traditional party workers not merely distributed liquor to influence voters during elections but also viewed liquor shops as an investment in politics.

The Lok Satta President rubbished the Government excuse that limiting liquor outlets would lead to illicit distillation of country liquor by pointing out that if village panchayats and women organizations were empowered, they could stamp out illegal outlets and illicit distillation.

Dr. JP congratulated party workers on protesting against liquor auctions peacefully and constitutionally.

Lok Satta activists undertook collection of alms near RTC X-road to go to the rescue of a cash-strapped Government, which encouraged liquor sales as a means of revenue. Among the participants in the campaign were leaders V. Laxamn Balaji, Dr. Pandurgana Rao V. Rohit Kumar, N. Saojadevi, Mahalakshmi, S. Gajanani, Dasari Ratnam, P. Sivaji and Mangala.

Mr. Balaji and Mr. Ratnam told the media that those politicians, who till the other day shed crocodile tears over the havoc caused by liquor, vied with one another in bagging liquor licenses. The police removed the protesters to the Chikkadapally police station and released them later.

Sunday, June 6, 2010 - 17:56

Pages