KCR Has No Right To Question JP's Credentials: Katari

The Loksatta Party today challenged the TRS for a debate on which party had rendered greater service to Hyderabad.

Addressing a media conference, State Loksatta Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao said that Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan had launched the Loksatta movement long before K Chandrasekhara Rao founded the TRS, and has been fighting for people-centered politics.

As a legislator representing Kukatpally, JP had been responsible for the implementation of development works worth a record Rs. 1,550 crore in the last 5 years. KCR was pursuing atrocious politics by asking why JP should contest from Malkajgiri to the Lok Sabha, Katari said.

Katari challenged KCR to explain what he has done for his constituency or Hyderabad or for Telangana in the last 5 years as a Member of Parliament.

JP had enabled Telangana farmers to get a higher price for their produce by getting curbs on inter-State trade lifted and exports to other countries permitted. In contrast, KCR had not raised his voice in Parliament even once on any issue the Telangana people faced.

Katari explained that JP had chosen to contest from Malkajgiri to spread the democratic revolution he initiated in Kukatpally by earning the people's mandate without resort to distribution of money or liquor.

AAP achieved such a change in Delhi where the per capita income there was high. Since the per capita income in Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency is high, too, and since Kukatpally formed part of it, JP chose to contest from it, Katari said.

Besides strengthening new politics, JP plans to strive for improving infrastructure in Hyderabad at a cost of Rs. 7,000 crore and ensure that the Government of India fulfilled all the promises it made on the eve of the State's bifurcation. In contrast, KCR was fuelling hatred with an eye on his family coming into power, Katari alleged.

Katari also accused KCR of adopting double standards in maintaining that the so-called settlers can live in Hyderabad but have no right for representation in legislative bodies. Every Indian has the right to live and work and contest elections from anywhere, he reminded. That was why a Bengali, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, was elected to Parliament from Vijayawada, P V Narasimha Rao was elected from Nandyal, and Indira Gandhi was elected from Medak.

KCR is harming the interests of Hyderabad and the Telangana people by questioning JP's credentials to contest from Malkajgiri even as he claims to develop Hyderabad into a world-class city, Katari stated. Haunted perhaps by the fear of a setback to his party in the elections, KCR is trying to garner votes by stoking hatred among people, he added.

Katari also took serious exception to sociologist Kancha Ilaiah faulting sections of the media for giving publicity to JP who in the latter's opinion did little for the minorities and Dalits.

Ilaiah should say which party other than the Loksatta could contest the elections without resorting to the use of black money and liquor, Katari said. Public interest should be the touchstone for both media and politics, and if the media did not give importance to JP who in his 34 years of public life had done yeoman service to the country by facilitating a number of basic reforms, it would be committing a mistake, Katari added.

Ilaiah should appreciate that it was the Loksatta which had made quality education, a key ingredient for the development of minorities and Dalits, the center point of its politics, Katari pointed out. JP had got 74 additional classrooms constructed, and had strived for implementation of the SC and ST plan in the Kukatpally constituency. Right since its inception, the Loksatta had been fighting for equal growth opportunities to all.

Katari said that it was regrettable that Ilaiah tried to besmirch the Loksatta even as he pledged support to a party that seeks to perpetuate the politics of dynasty, corruption and poverty.

Siramani Naresh of the party's manifesto committee also took part in the media conference. (INN)