Press Releases Archive

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today appealed to common and middle class people to immediately call off their indefinite fasts or fast unto death all over the State as part of their agitation either for separation of Telangana or against State’s bifurcation. They should not risk their lives and future as also that of their near and dear by being carried away by momentary passions since none will bother about them after the frenzy dies down. The rich and the powerful might stand to gain in many ways by resorting to indefinite fasts but not the common and middle class people. “Don’t become scapegoats in the games being played by political parties for short-term political gains.”

Dr. JP also appealed to people not to resort to bandhs and rasta and rail rokos which are playing havoc with the lives of daily wage earners, those in need of critical medical care and the studies of students. People could express their opinion through non-violent agitation without hurting others. “They are welcome to turn their wrath against political parties which have played with their lives by rousing their primordial loyalties.” He requested the media to help cool down tempers among people and the thinking people in all parties and organizations to shed their silence and work for restoring sanity in public life.

He was addressing the media after his return from Delhi where he met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Opposition leader L. K. Advani and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as part of his mission to defuse the present political crisis in the State.

His dialogues with national Government and party leaders, he said, had convinced him that the Government of India would come up with a solution that takes into account the aspirations and concerns of people in all the regions of the State. The Government of India is fully cognizant of the gravity of the situation.

Dr. JP said that “there is no magic formula that can simultaneously accommodate the demands for the State’s division as also for keeping it intact. Any solution will involve a give and take on the part of all the stakeholders. The Government of India cannot be expected to backtrack on a stand it has already announced in public but at the same time it is in no position to impose its will on a major State in a federal setup by riding roughshod over public opinion. There won’t be any winners or losers in democracy. A win-win formula that takes into account the views of all stakeholders in all the regions has to be worked out”.

Dr. JP repeated his contention that the formation of a separate State would neither be a calamity not a panacea to people’s problems.

In reply to a question, Dr. JP said he would term physical attacks on opponents as uncivilized and beastly. In reply to another, he said he had gone to Delhi on his own as a citizen concerned about the raging regional fires in Andhra Pradesh. Resignations by legislators were unwarranted since they are expected to utilize the forums available to them to resolve issues and not to abdicate their constitutional responsibilities.

The Lok Satta Party today refuted reports in a section of the media that its President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan had called on BJP leader L. K. Advani at the suggestion of Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi.

Talking to the media, party leaders Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mr. Beesetti A. Babji, Mrs.K. Geetamurti, clarified that Dr. JP had sought an appointment with Mr. Advani long before he met Mrs. Gandhi and called on him as scheduled.

The leaders pointed out that Dr. JP is on a mission to Delhi to help resolve the current political crisis in Andhra Pradesh.

In his meetings with national leaders, Dr. JP has been underlining the need for cooling down the inflamed passions in both the Telangana and Andhra regions of the State. The Government of India made a clear policy statement on December 9 based on its judgment of the prevailing situation and the clear impression given by political parties in Andhra Pradesh that they would support formation of a separate Telangana State.

“Dr. JP is making the point that a solemn assurance of the Government of India should not be taken lightly, and cannot be violated at will. The credibility of the Government of India is critical to nation building and cannot be frittered away for political expediency. Equally, India is a federal, democratic republic and the Government of India cannot impose its will on a major State and ride roughshod over people’s concerns and aspirations. We have a complex situation in which a part of the State wants separation and the rest of the State wants integration. Both demands cannot be accommodated simultaneously. The Government of India has to act with great wisdom, credibility, and foresight. Nothing should be done unilaterally. The people should be given full opportunity to express their opinions on the future of the State. There should be give and take on both sides and a satisfactory settlement, which fulfils aspirations of all people and addresses the concerns of all regions, should be arrived at. There cannot be a knee-jerk and ad hoc approach to the problem. There cannot be winners and losers in a democracy. It has to be a win-win situation for all.”

The Lok Satta leaders underlined that decisions in a democracy have to be taken through constitutional processes. Cynical exploitation of people’s emotions for short-term political gain would cause disaster to our republic. India is a mature democracy and behave like a mature democracy and not like Ruwanda in which ethnic conflicts claimed 800000 lives. “Problems are challenging but not intractable. With goodwill we can find a way out.”

Pending the finding of a permanent settlement, the Government of India should not sit idle. The Pranab Mukherjee committee on the Telangana issue produced precious little after six years of its constitution while the Rosaiah committee was a non-starter.

Both the Central and State Governments should turn the present the crisis into an opportunity to put an end to centralization of power. For instance, regional committees of legislators with full autonomy and powers to enforce existing arrangements like the six-point formula could be formed. The Government of India should come up with a package to address backwardness in different regions of the State.

People should realize that whether the State is divided or not all of us live in the same territory and speak the same language and have to coexist with mutual respect. The Lok Satta won’t compromise on the interest of any region and will fight to ensure justice to everybody.

The Lok Satta leaders called upon the youth and students not to waste their time on emotional outbursts but work together to change the nature of politics in Andhra Pradesh. Thanks to the chicanery, unbridled corruption and cynicism of major political parties millions of people have been leading miserable lives for decades. The Telangana problem has exposed the cynical flip-flops of major political parties.

“It is time that all likeminded persons who care deeply for the country, no matter in which party they happen to be, forged a new political force and transformed the State and the country.”