Friday, August 2, 2013

Lok Satta convening round table on addressing Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra woes

The Lok Satta Party is organizing a round-table conference of leaders drawn from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema in Hyderabad on August 10 to discuss how the bifurcation of the State “which appears to be inevitable” can be carried out constructively, protecting the interest of all regions and sections.

Announcing this at a media conference, Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said that leaders of students, Government employees, NGOs and intellectuals from the region are being invited for the conference.

Dr. JP utilized the occasion to appeal to people in Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra not to resort to violence, bandhs, road blockades and suicides. He asked Government employees not to strike but work with redoubled vigor to attend to people’s needs. Vandalizing statues of rival political parties will merely weaken the movement by making it partisan. They have the right to protest peacefully but not indulge in acts which hurt the interests of the very people on whose behalf they claim to be agitating. Media, instead of fanning raw passions through sensationalizing news, should promote constructive thinking.

The Congress and the Government of India are primarily responsible for the present political crisis in the State. The TDP and the YSRCP too contributed to the crisis by indulging in double-speak, said Dr. JP.

Dr. JP accused the Government of India of behaving like an emperor and treating Andhra Pradesh State as its vassal. It has not bothered to hold meaningful discussions with all stakeholders with a view to hammering out a solution acceptable to all sections of people in all the regions. Instead, it has indulged in the ritual of consultations. It is now getting ready to bypass the Assembly and impose its decision on bifurcation of the State. This approach will in effect convert India into a unitary State, destroying federalism. The ruling party’s focus is totally on the number of seats it will get in the next elections and not on the interests of either the country or the State.

Dr. JP said that the Government of India should dispel apprehensions among people of Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra in the wake of the partition of the State. It should extend all assistance for the building of a new capital for the residual Andhra Pradesh. The choice of the capital should be decided in consultation with the people of the two regions. The people in turn should not commit the mistake of replicating Hyderabad but instead promote development of a number of towns and cities. The Government of India should also announce special support for Rayalaseema which feels orphaned with partition and perceived loss of Hyderabad.

Dr. JP categorically condemned the move of the Government of India in connivance with most of the traditional political parties to exempt them from the purview of the Right to Information Act and undo the Supreme Court verdict which said that convicted and sentenced people are ineligible to continue as legislators.

Dr. JP, who along with Ms. Aruna drafted and piloted the Right to Information Bill, said that if NGOs which collect small amounts and work for public causes are answerable under the RTI Act, there is no reason why political parties which enjoy huge Government patronage and have profound influence either for good or bad on people should be insulated. Political parties should be made answerable not merely in respect of funds they receive and spend but also on how they choose leaders and field candidates in elections. They cannot be allowed to function like private estates or dynasties.

Although the Lok Satta Party is merely a registered party but not a recognized party, it has named public information officers and placed them on its website. Dr. JP released the list of PIOs and Appellate Authorities of the Lok Satta Party under the RTI Act at the national level, and in States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi. The PIOs will be designated for UP and Tamil Nadu soon. .

Dr. JP said the Supreme Court in its July 10 verdict merely underlined that there cannot be any discrimination between ordinary citizens and legislators on their right to contest an election if they are convicted and sentenced. The very parties which bemoan that law breakers are becoming law makers have jointed hands with the Government to ensure that murderers and rapists can continue as legislators. Leaders like Gandhi, Nehru and Ambedkar would be turning in their grave it they learn of the self-serving and inexcusable means the present day political parties are resorting to.

Lok Satta Party leaders Ravi Maruth, Y. D. Rama Rao, K. Omkar, Nandipet Ravinder, and M. A. Mazid took part in the media meet.

1 comment:

  1. If Sonia ji has rights to stay in India..We/our telugu people has equal rights to stay at Hyderabad... think once... countries like USA, Australia, etc are giving citizenship rights-Green cards, voting rights, etc for the immigrants manpower who participated in their National Development...think once.........Before any such decision/justice, one has to know the three regions year wise TAXes contribution in Hyderabad Development, subsidies to Industries, Infrastructure etc..... First Some body has to file RTI to seek information of 1).The year wise Direct-Taxes/Indirect Taxes received by Central Govt & State Govt from s0.01-11-1956 to 31-03-1991 b).from 1991 to 2004 c)from 2004 to present 2).The year wise profit/development/revenue share of three regions & Hyderabad in proportionate to their Taxes contribution in previousyears, 3). The year wise expenditure/contribution to a) three regions of AP state b) Hyderabad city C) Direct Subsidies to Industries of AP, region wise d) Contribution to Central Govt of India...

    Capital at only one place is not acceptable to all, a lesson learnt from past... Also the issues like future target development in other regions also should be considered... So, I propose the following... a). Kurnool is capital for 5 months b) Vizag is capital for 5 months c). And during Brahmotsavams at Tirupati,
    Tirupati is capital for one month d). and during Dasara Navarathri Brahmotsavams, a new township b/n Bejawada and Guntur is capital for one month... Additional Future Targets for Development at below places should be considered: 1.There is one desert like area in Anantapur District, and this should be used for Township for Textile Industry. 2. Also the SEZ: SRi city SEZ, which is between Nellore and Chittoor District is one that we should promise for future targets, in which it is near to chennai city and Krishnapatnam port. 3. The vast area at prakasam dist, may also be set for future SEZ devolopment, since it is near to Krishnapatnam port, also in Chennai and Vijayawada highway etc.. 4. The present Vizag Industrial Infrastructure should also be set some future target for development, 5. The present Guntur, EG, WG etc are to be encouraged for Food processing Industries,Agro-based Industries... 6.Also the agriculture Infrastructure in coastal Andhra should be set some targets....

    Dear all... who will give that money at instant,, Do you think central govt will give or the separating state Telangana Govt will give... also one point... the 1 lakh money during 1998 will be more value than todays 1 lakh,,, money is not ideal thing our money is invested in Hyd development,, we need interest to our money at the rate defined by GDP of AP/India/Hyderabad region, Inflation in Raw materials etc of corresponding year wise statistics.........I think the solution acceptable to all Telugu people(not in terms of sentiment, but economical point of view) is: calculate all the money/revenue share of three regions based on above method. And keep Hyd as union territory for some 10 years, and spend that money in other two regions (Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema), also protect Residential Ship rights at Hyderabad for immigrants as equivalent to other people from rest of India,,, But we can protect Residential ship rights of all Telugu people by keeping Hyd as permanent Union Territory only.. ..On the other hand during the journey from 01-11-1956 to present, we got lot of sentiments/attachment with Hyderabad, Warangal, Bhadrachalam etc...

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