Congress Sandesh : A Monthly Journal in English & Hindi
Letter to Congress Workers
Letters
Editorial
Speech
Comment
Essay
Report
States
Photofile
Tribute
Through the eyes of
the Cartoonist
History

States

Andhra Pradesh

Dharna Against Petrol Pump Scam

The APCC president, M. Satyanarayana Rao, leading a dharna in Hyderabad against the petrol pump/LPG scam

HYDERABAD : The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee on 16 August organised dharnas all over the State in protest against the petrol pump scam, involving National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders .

The APCC president, M. Satyanarayana Rao, who participated in the dharna at Koti in the city, lashed out at the NDA and TDP leaders for their alleged misdeeds. The BJP rule at the Centre and the TDP Government in Andhra Pradesh reeked of corruption. Many leaders of these parties, including Ministers, were involved in scandals, he alleged.

Mr. Rao accused the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, of shielding his Ministerial colleagues and party leaders involved in diversion of the rice meant for the Food for Work (FFW) programme. He named the Energy Minister, K. Subbarayudu, and the Minister for Minor Irrigation, K.E. Prabhakar, in this context.

A land scandal, involving BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu, came to light on 16 August and another BJP leader and Union Minister, Pramod Mahajan, was facing a serious criminal charge.

Naidu Govt. Stands Exposed

HYDERABAD : The issue of "unfulfilled promises" of the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, which could not be discussed in the just-concluded Monsoon Session of the Assembly, would be taken to the people, the Leader of the Opposition, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said on 28 July.

Addressing a press conference, Dr. Reddy regretted that the Government was not prepared to extend the Session even by a day to discuss the issue. The CLP secretary, P. Jaganmohan Rao, and the party MLAs, N. Kirankumar Reddy, A. Vittal Reddy and Mohd. Fareeduddin, also participated in the press conference.

Summing up the performance of the Congress and other Oppositon parties in the 11-day session, he said, they could corner the Government on issues of public importance such as drought, erratic power supply, misappropriation of food-for-work rice, weavers’ plight, the scholarship scam and white collar offences.

 

Delhi

INLD Leaders Join Congress

DPCC president Subhash Chopra and senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on the occasion of INLD leader joining the Congress

NEW DELHI : The president of Delhi Pradesh Indian National Lok Dal, Surat Singh Yadav, on 9 August joined the Congress along with general secretary, Pritam Singh, vice-president Mahila Wing, Ishwari Devi, and thousands of party workers at a function held at Vithal Bhai Patel House here. The Mehrauli District Congress Committee president, Matadin Yadav, presided over the function which was attended by Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president, Subhash Chopra, former MP, Sajjan Kumar, and several other Pradesh Congress leaders, MLAs and Councillors.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Chopra said removal of the BJP-led Government at the Centre had become essential if corruption and communalism was to be fought. And, he asserted, that only the Congress under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi can provide a clean and transparent alternative.

Mr. Sajjan Kumar said the entry of Mr. Surat Kumar into the Congress will bolster the party’s control in the rural areas of Outer Delhi. Mr. Singh on his part said the need of the hour for the INLD was to withdraw its support to the BJP Government, since the party was allegedly fanning communal frenzy in the country.

Anti-Centre Rally

NEW DELHI : The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) workers led by its president, Subhash Chopra held a massive demonstration on Parliament Street here on 16 August demanding resignation of the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ram Naik, and the Union Urban Minister, Ananth Kumar. They also demanded a high-level probe into the land and petrol pump allotment scams which have rocked the NDA-led Government in the recent past.

Accusing the Vajpayee Government of being neck-deep in corruption and scams, Mr. Chopra said it was unfortunate that despite the allotments blowing right in the face of the BJP-led Government, the two Ministers have still not resigned from office. Stating that BJP had proved itself to be a party with a difference, Mr. Chopra said the BJP resorted to unprecedented corrupt ways to loot the exchequer.