Special courts alone can help eradicate Corruption: Lok Satta

The Lok Satta Party today called upon political parties and the State Government to come forward voluntarily to put an end to corruption before people revolt against them. That corruption has assumed monumental proportion is evident from the series of reports the media has been running for the past one month with specific charges and prima facie evidence against politicians of all hues and top officials.

Talking to the media, party leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao, G.Raja Reddy and Eda Chennaiah said that had the Government prevented siphoning of funds, it would have had enough resources to ensure healthcare and education to all, development of 1000 small towns and livelihood opportunities to 50 lakh youth. There would not have been agitations in the name of backwardness in certain areas.

In good old days, the Lok Satta leaders recalled, charges of corruption were laid against a few politicians or officials or institutions. These days, however, the integrity of everyone has come under a shadow. In the changed context, an agitation here or there against somebody or the other will not deliver results. A solution lies in constitution of special courts and appointment of independent prosecutors to try the corrupt. The Government should attach ill-gotten properties and send the guilty to jail. Sure and swift punishment alone will help eradicate corruption and cleanse the political system. Lok Satta leaders will not be an exception if they too face charges.

Commending Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu for seeking constitution of fast track courts to try the guilty in the Commonwealth Games scams, the Lok Satta leaders said he should extend the same logic to corruption reinging in Andhra Pradesh.

Giving a ballpark estimate of corruption in the State, the Lok Satta leaders said it would be not less than one-third of the State’s GDP or Rs.1,00,000 crore. Corruption encompassed land allocations, mining leases, Jalayagnam, INDIRAMMA houses, ration cards, fee reimbursement and whatnot. Elected representatives apart from officials are the major beneficiaries of this unbridled plunder of public money, said the Lok Satta leaders.

The Lok Satta leaders said they had no doubt that money from Andhra Pradesh too would have formed part of the Rs.6,00,000 crore black money that flowed out of India during 2000-2008, going by a Washington think tank study.