Spotlight

New Delhi, 13 February 2007

SATYAGRAH AGAINST POLITICAL CORRUPTION

NEW DELHI, February 14 (INFA): Lok Sevak Sangh, a non-party organization of constructive workers in the service of the nation, has decided to resume its satyagrah against high level political corruption and criminality from this year’s Budget session of Parliament, which starts on February 23.

Having taken a pledge to root out political corruption and criminality from Indian politics, the Sangh had submitted an appeal about 15 months ago to Parliament and individually to every member of both Houses, to the President, Vice-President and the Prime Minister.  It had prayed for effective legislative enactment and /or foolproof administrative orders on its three proposals.

The proposals pertain to concrete measures for curbing political corruption, without which the corruption of the bureaucracy, the businessmen and the public in general can never be controlled, the appeal had stressed.

The three proposals are: One, immediate enactment of the Lok Pal legislation pending since last 38 years, despite the solemn commitments made earlier by leading political parties; and now reiterated by the UPA in its Common Minimum Programme and again confirmed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the last Lok Ayukta Conference at Dehradun in 2005. He quoted approvingly Mahatma Gandhi’s statement reproduced on this page.

Two, debarring those candidates from contesting elections to Parliament and State Legislatures against whom the Law Courts may have framed charges or taken cognizance for criminal offences involving moral turpitude, six-months prior to election. This was recommended by the previous Chief Election Commissioner, T.S. Krishnamurthy.

Three, enactment of legislation for the forfeiture of illegally acquired property by public servants, which expression according to Supreme Court Judgment now also includes Ministers, MPs and MLAs. The draft Bill for this effective legislation was formulated by the Law Commission of India and sent to the Law Ministry in February, 1999 by it’s the then Chairman, Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy.

There was no response, not even an acknowledgement, despite fax messages to the Prime Minister and other Union Ministers concerned with Lok Pal legislation but again there was no response. ---INFA

AMBULANCE SERVICE FOR RAIL PASSENGERS

HYDERABAD, February 14 (INFA): Passengers travelling in trains across Andhra Pradesh can dial the toll-free number 108 for an ambulance.  The ambulance will pick up the patient at the nearest railhead.

The Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), a non-profit Institute, which runs the 108 ambulance will assist the Railway Police in attending to accident victims and other medical emergencies in trains and platforms.

The EMRI services are available in 50 towns in the State with 75 ambulances.---INFA