People not looking for freebies: JP

All Governments have to work to meet people’s aspirations and not dole out sops and goodies to win them over, Lok Satta Party chairperson Jayaprakash Narayan said.

Speaking after breaking his six-hour silent Sankalp Deeksha protest here on Thursday evening, he said that the Governments should stop indulging in rhetoric and vote-bank politics. People were not looking for freebies like package of goodies for festivals but for development of the State and increasing employment opportunities, he said.

He called upon all the students across the 13 districts of the State to form a human chain on March 16 to express their aspirations. He wanted the Government to organise an all-party meeting on March 17 to take cognisance of people’s aspirations and also prepare a clear agenda of the needs of the State to be followed up with the Centre.

He demanded that the State Government bring out a White Paper on the actual economic situation of the State, highlighting the revenue deficit it was facing consequent to bifurcation. The party leader also demanded that the Central Government take steps to complete the long-pending Polavaram project speedily. People of Telangana should realise that Polavaram would serve the interests of Telangana too, he said. Water was a national resource and should serve all people and there was no call for protests based on regional interests in this regard, he added.

The other two demands of the LSP that were highlighted in the Sankalp Deeksha are – tax incentives to industries and special status to the State; provision of basic amenities.

Courtesy: The Hindu