Press Releases Archive

The Lok Satta Party today demanded that laws be amended to treat abduction of women and children as crimes warranting capital punishment.

Addressing the media on the brutal abduction and killing of eight-year-old Vaishnavi, and her car driver in the process, party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan demanded that the perpetrators of the crime as also the conspirators should be awarded capital punishment within three months. Only then could the Government restore confidence among the public and send shivers down criminals’ spines.

Dr. JP pointed out that righteous indignation prompted a section of people to demand the killing of the criminals in an encounter. But that was not how a civilized society functioned. He recalled that a committee headed by Justice Malimath had in 2003 suggested amendment of the Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code and the strengthening of the police forensic capabilities to prevent such offences. Unfortunately, the report which suggested practicable and effective steps continued to gather dust to this day.

Dr. JP said there was no point in blaming the Government or the police for the latest tragedy since it was humanly impossible to prevent such crimes anywhere in the world. Sisupalas of the mythological notoriety were to be found in all ages and all climes.

The Vaishnavi tragedy should be an occasion for prominent people in all spheres of life to ponder over the depths to which our society has plunged because of the unbridled lust for money and power. The country might progress economically but it would lose heavily if it remained silent to the evils corroding our society.

Dr. JP conveyed the party’s and his condolences to the bereaved Vaishnavi family.

Earlier, Mr. V. Laxman Balaji, General Secretary, said the party had received Rs.71 lakh as donations towards relief in flood-ravaged Mahaboobnagar, Kurnool, Guntur and Krishna districts. The party had spent Rs.9 lakh on providing immediate relief, Rs.2.75 lakh on construction of a school building at Kesavaram village in Aija mandal of Mahaboobnagar district and Rs.2.83 lakh on installing a water treatment plant at Poolathota village in Kurnool district. The party would utilize the remainder on creating permanent assets in the four villages it had adopted in the four districts. The party president, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan and senior leaders of the party including YD RamaRao, Vijayender Reddy and Subba Rao are touring Kesavaram village in Mahaboobnagar district and Poolathota village in Kurnool district on 3rd February (tomorrow) to review the progress of rehabilitation programmes.

Mr. Y.D RamaRao, Vice President and Mr. V. Vijayender Reddy, Secretary, said the party’s core committee which met on Monday and Tuesday decided to prepare the party for the municipal and corporation elections due in September-October this year. It also decided to launch a membership drive and hold organizational elections from the village to the State level. The party decided to explore formation of farmers’ and teachers’ wings.

They revealed that going by the gramasabhas conducted by the party in three districts of the State, the people in general could not make out why agitations in the name of separate Telangana or united Andhra Pradesh were being carried on. The people were concerned about their bread and butter issues like quality education, health care, livelihood skills and employment opportunities and not whether they remained in one State or two States.

The Lok Satta Party today whole-heartedly welcomed RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat’s categorical assertion that Mumbai belongs to all Indians and that nobody can prevent Indians from moving to any part of the country in search of employment.

Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said in a statement that the RSS declaration, although long overdue, was most welcome.

“The very fact that some politicians have been fueling flames in the name of language in India’s economic capital is highly disturbing. In matters concerning life, livelihood, residence, travel, education, employment, business, and profession, all Indians are equal all over the country. That is what the Constitution says. The only exceptions are Jammu and Kashmir and certain North Eastern States where some restrictions are enforced in national interest.”

He appealed to all political parties and civil society organizations not to exploit people’s loyalty to caste, religion, region, and language for vote bank politics. “Preserving the country’s unity and integrity should be the paramount task of every Indian. Allegiance to nationalism does not preclude administrative and political arrangements in people’s interest,” he added.