Press Releases Archive

Beware of caste wars, warns Lok Satta

Andhra Pradesh, which has had the distinction of producing stalwarts dedicated to eradicating caste, is being turned into a theatre for caste wars, bemoaned Lok Satta Party leaders here today.

Mr. Ravi Maruth, a member of the Lok Satta Party’s Campaign Committee for Coastal Andhra, told a media conference that leaders like Gurajada Apparao, Kattamcanchi Ramalinga Reddy, Raghupati Venkataratnam Naidu, Tirupuraneni Ramaswami Chowdary, Putchalapalli Sundaraiah and Tapi Dharma Rao strove all their lives to bury the caste six fathoms deep. “In contrast, politicians of the day are stirring up the caste cauldron and providing to gain the maximum political mileage. Each traditional party is identified with one caste, and the state is becoming a theatre of caste wars and intense, unhealthy competition for power as an end in itself”

Mr. Ravi Maurth, and the other members of the Campaign Committee -- Mrs. Gouthu Jhansi Lakshmi, Mrs. S. Manorama and Mr. Akurati Murali Krishna -- pointed out that social justice did not mean dividing the spoils of political power among leaders of different castes. “Social justice in Lok Satta’s perception is ensuring quality education and health care and skills and opportunities for growth to all irrespective of caste and religion. Poverty is the real disease which should be eradicated, and every citizen should have the opportunity to stand on her own feet with dignity”

In response to a question whether the Lok Satta Party is not being led by a forward caste man, Mr. Akurati Muralikrishna, State Convener of BC Forum who joined the Lok Satta recently, said leaders like him who fought against atrocities on the downtrodden did not inquire to which caste writers like Sri Sri and Ravi Sastry (Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry) belonged. “Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, the Lok Satta founder, has been chosen as party President like all others in the party in elections by secret ballot. It is the only party, which has given opportunities to all with leadership mettle without ascertaining their caste and family background.”

The Campaign Committee will be visiting Coastal Andhra districts from February 9 to spread the Lok Satta’s agenda among the public. The Lok Satta is the only party, which has come up with a 50-point program for resolving people’s problems. The will appeal to youth to join the party and own it.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - 17:13

Lok Satta organizing social justice conventions

In a bid to mobilize support to the Lok Saatta Party, a large number of leaders belonging to BC, SC, ST, minority and weaker sections are organizing ‘social justice’ regional conventions all over the State.

This was announced at a media conference here today by Katari Srinivsasa Rao, Akurati Muralikrishna, Eeda Chennaiah, Jupalli Satyanarayana, Allahbakash, Mrs. A. Maharani, all leaders belonging to downtrodden classes.

The leaders told the media that the Lok Satta is the only party which is genuinely committed to ensuring justice to weaker sections. The Lok Satta Party practices what it professes, they said by pointing out that in the recent organizational elections 12 of the elected district party presidents are from backward classes. Twenty-one of the 36 candidates named by the party as its candidates for contesting the ensuing Assembly elections are from downtrodden sections.

The leaders said that the Lok Satta conducted its party elections by secret ballot and provided an opportunity for anybody to occupy positions of power. In stark contrast to other parties, it did not look into the pedigree, caste or religion of the candidates. In fact, the party’s constitution provided for representation within the party to all sections considering their share in the population.

The Lok Satta alone has offered to provide quality education and health care and provision of job-oriented skills to all irrespective of their caste and religion, region and language. It is committed to making agriculture and traditional occupations remunerative.

The Lok Satta leaders recalled that the traditional parties had not allowed members belonging to a large number of downtrodden castes to step into legislature portals. Only seven percent of children from downtrodden castes completed high school education. But both the Congress and the Telugu Desam claimed they had already rendered them justice.

The leaders said that representation to a few sons or daughters of rich backward class families did not constitute social justice. Backward class people can come up in life only when they enjoy proportional representation in all elected offices and their children have equal opportunities to realize their potential.

It is to propagate this message that the leaders are planning regional conventions. The following is the schedule:

February 10: Visakhapatnam (Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam dts.)

February 12: Vijayawada (Krishna, Guntur, Khammam, East Godavari, Prakasam dts.)

February 14: Tirupati (Chittoor, Nellore, Kadapa, Kurnool, Anandtapur dts.)

February 16: Warangal (Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda dts.)

Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 23:55

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