Vizianagaram, February 28: Expressing concern over violation of legislations by those who enacted them, K. Nageshwar, MLC, has said that representatives having criminal record are entering the Legislature and Legislative Councils and hence, there is every need for intellectuals to elect a candidate who would fight for the cause of people.
At a talk on ‘Medhavulu-Chatta Sabhalu’ (intellectuals-Legislature), organised by the Udyoga, Upadyaya and Karmika Ikya Vedika at Ananda Gajapathi Auditorium here on Sunday, Prof. Nageshwar said 400 families in politics are ruling the country.
He said Rajiv Gandhi government lost elections after the Rs. 60-crore Bofors scam had come to light but not an official was so far punished after Rs.1.76 lakh-crore 2G spectrum scam was exposed.
Further, he said Rs.71lakh-crore was reportedly deposited in the Swiss Bank and every year Rs 1.10 lakh-crore was being added to it ‘illegally’ by powers-that-be in politics.
If it were controlled, the government could strictly implement the Right to Education Act and provide opportunities to everyone, Prof. Nageshwar said.
Though teachers had struck work for 13 days in protest and the issue was raised in the Council, there was no response from the government, he said and added that, in fact, no one in the Assembly and Council, except for the MLCs formed as Progressive Democratic Front, was ready to discuss people’s problems.
Eelections were being fought to earn more money, he asserted.
Stating that PDF which is not opposed to setting up of thermal power projects, he said in the name of power projects, lands of the poor must not be acquired.
He opposed inviting major trade houses to set up shopping malls as small and marginal traders who constitute about five crores in the country and eking a living would be affected severely.
The aim of the PDF, which has M.V.S. Sarma, Chukka Ramaiah and others as MLCs, was to fight for the cause of all sections of people.
Hence, graduates and intellectuals must elect those who raise people’s issues in the Council.
Earlier, talking to correspondents, he said north Andhra districts remained backward in all aspects and the recent Railway budget once again let down aspirations of the locals in these three districts.
Narayana Rao of Postal Employees Union, Sita Rama Raju of LIC Employees’ Union, Seshagiri Rao of UTF, and others were present.
-Agencies