Press Releases Archive

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.

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan is taking part in a symposium on ‘Constitutions for Freedom: German and Indian Democracies turn 60’ in New Delhi on Friday, January 29, 2010.

Dr. JP will be making a presentation on ‘Political Parties in India: Representation of People's Will?’

Friedrich Naumann Foundation of Germany and the Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, are jointly organizing the symposium.

Dr. Irmgard Schwaetzer, former German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairperson, Free Democratic Party, and Prof. Shashikant Jha of the Centre for European Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, are among the other participants. Dr. Rene Klaff, Regional Director, South Asia, of Friedrich Naumann Foundation, will chair the session.

Experts from India and Germany will focus on similarities and peculiarities of the 60-year-old democratic systems in India and Germany with special focus on political parties and federalism, and the challenges they face.