Lok Satta chief calls upon youth and women to join the struggle
The ‘surajyam’ (good governance) move put forth by Lok Satta president Jayaprakash Narayan was supported by representatives of various political parties and a cross section of the people who attended a round-table conference on the issue organised in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said that the common feeling among all sections of people was that the country was plagued by corruption and no development was possible. He said on an optimistic note that the nation had attained progress in various spheres post-Independence but the evil of corruption was growing and honest people staying away from politics was making matters worse.
He suggested among other things floating of an autonomous body to provide good governance, bringing essential services under the control of the people themselves, evolving a mechanism to counter corruption at all levels and switching to direct elections through the proportionate system of voting to encourage honest people to join politics. He called upon the youth and women to join the movement in a big way and contribute to the cleansing of the system.
CPI(M) district secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao called for reforms to root out corruption. The poor were being deprived of their livelihood by various projects that were meant to pamper the rich. He felt that disinvestment of PSUs should be opposed at any cost. Rushikonda IT Park Association vice-president O. Naresh Kumar felt that bureaucrats were the biggest hurdle in the development of the nation. He said that industries were being fined for using electricity over a specified limit.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University K.V. Ramana said the slogan of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: ‘organise, educate and agitate’ was the need of the hour and called upon the people change their perception towards the State.
BJP leaders P.V. Chalapathi Rao, K. Haribabu, M. Nagendra, TDP leader Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, People for India vice-president B.L. Narayana, revolutionary balladeer Vangapandu Prasada Rao, and Lok Satta Party leaders were among those who participated.
Keywords: Lok Satta, Jayaprakash Narayan
