Press Releases Archive

Dr. JP’s move to dispel doubts on Hyderabad as free zone

Lok Satta Party President and legislator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has requested the Speaker, Mr. N. Kirankumar Reddy to permit him to move a resolution in the Assembly on the repeal of a section of the Presidential Order of 1975.

Section 14 (f) of the Presidential Order issued under Article 371-D of the Constitution has fuelled regional passions in Andhra Pradesh on the misapprehension that Hyderabad will be treated as a free zone for police officials.

“Any amendment or repeal of a section of the Presidential Order issued under Article 371-D of the Constitution is entirely within the power of the President and Government of India.”

In a letter to the Speaker, Dr. JP said the repeal of Section 14 (f) of the Andhra Pradesh Public Employment (Organization of Local Cadres and Regulation of Direct Recruitment) Order, 1975 will make it clear that the scheme of local cadres will apply to the police officers as defined in clause (b) of Section 3 of the Hyderabad City Police Act, 1348F.

Dr. JP requested the Speaker to allow the matter to be entered in the list of business immediately by waiving the notice period of ten days.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 16:47

Lok Satta welcomes single entrance Exam for professional courses

The Lok Satta Party today wholeheartedly welcomed the Union Government move to hold a single national entrance examination for admission to engineering, medical and commerce courses.

The proposal made by Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal is long overdue, said Lok Satta leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao, V. Laxman Balaji and V. Vijayender Reddy at a media meet here today. A single examination would spare students from appearing for multiple examinations at multiple centers.

The Lok Satta leaders pointed out that nowhere in the world a regional approach to higher education is adopted in a federal country.

The Andhra Pradesh Government should lap up the proposal as it confers immense benefit on State students.

The Lok Satta leaders recalled that the Supreme Court had more than two decades ago ruled that all colleges offering professional courses should earmark 15 percent of their seats to students from all over the country. Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are the only two States which are not implementing the Supreme Court directive. Since Andhra Pradesh does not allocate 15 percent of seats in its colleges to outsiders, professional colleges in other States are denying the reservation to Andhra Pradesh students.

The skewed Andhra Pradesh policy has been doing immense harm to Andhra Pradesh students. Andhra Pradesh students have demonstrated over the years that they outshine students from other States in all competitive examinations for admission to professional colleges. For instance, they have been bagging a disproportionate share of seats in Indian Institutes of Technology because of the rigorous coaching they undergo and other reasons.

For instance, of the 30,000 seats in medicine in India, about 4500 seats are open for competition to students from all over the country. Since Andhra Pradesh does not throw open about 450 of the nearly 3000 medical seats in the State for outsiders, Andhra Pradesh students are denied the opportunity of competing for the 4500 seats elsewhere in the country. Similarly, they have not been able to get admission in some of the prestigious engineering colleges outside the State.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 16:43

Lok Satta opposes SC status to Dalit Christians and Muslims

The Lok Satta Party today termed the Andhra Pradesh move to extend Scheduled Caste status to dalit Christians and dalit Muslims through a Constitutional amendment as impractical and undesirable.

Talking to the media, party leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao, V. Laxman Balaji and E. Chennayya said the State Government move to include dalit Christians and dalit Muslims among SCs would only fan flames of hatred among castes and religions.

Instead, the quota of dalit Christians under Backward Classes C category could be increased in proportion to their population, instead of limiting it to one percent as at present.

The spokespersons recalled the Lok Satta Party President and legislator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan had opposed the August 25, 2009 resolution in the Assembly recommending inclusion of Dalit Christians among SCs. Backward Muslims, including dalits, too could be provided a quota under the BC category. Dalit Christians and dalit Muslims included in the BC category should be extended all the rights enjoyed by SCs.

The Lok Satta leaders emphasized that reservations provided only temporary relief and not a panacea to people’s problems. A real solution lies in the Government ensuring quality education, health care, livelihood skills and employment opportunities to all, irrespective of their accident of birth in a certain caste or religion.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010 - 18:17

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