Political Diary

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Monday distributed certificates of titles to tribal representatives hailing from all districts, as part of the implementation of the Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006.
In all, 1.28 lakh claims covering 4.44 lakh acres are to be given certificates by June 15. Tribal Welfare Minister P. Balaraju and tribal legislators were present. Coffee, rubber plantations and horticulture schemes are to be taken in the lands.
Still some claims were pending at the sub-divisional and district levels. The Collectors have been instructed to complete the scrutiny of the claims and issuing of certificates to the eligible claimants by the month-end.
The recognition and vesting of forest rights under the Act to the forest dwelling STs in respect of forest land and their habitat will be subject to the condition that they had occupied forest land before December 13, 2005

The health minister, Mr Danam Nagendar, on Monday took a leaf out of the Sri Rama Sene chief, Mr Pramod Mutalik’s book and threatened to crack down on city pubs “which were peddling drugs, encouraging obscenity and destroying Indian culture.
”It was an expose by a private TV channel of ‘obscenity’ in Novotel Excess pub in the city that seems to have outraged the minister, who is now planning to take up the issue with the Chief Minister and the home minister. “I watched the visuals of parties in Excess Pub and was pained,” he said.
“I was watching the visuals of women wearing four inch skirts in the pub and a few men lifting up those women. It was shocking. I wonder if we are in AP.” He also remained silent when asked whether he would impose restriction on how much alcohol a person should consume and how a person should dress up while in a pub.
“While the West is trying to follow our culture, it is unfortunate that our pubs are instilling western culture here,” he said.Instead, he said it was brought to his notice that drugs were also being sold in pubs. “My department will hereafter closely monitor all the pubs in the city,” he told this correspondent.
Mr Nagendar said he was taking up the issue suo moto and will ensure strict enforcement of rules. Meanwhile, the Novotel Excess pub has rubbished the allegations and said it followed the rules.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders are demanding the resignation of the party president, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, as he failed to steer the party to victory. The TRS Mahbubnagar unit president, Mr Y. Srinivasa Reddy, demanded that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao step down immediately. He alleged that Mr Rao turned the party into a family affair and ignored the Telangana movement. He demanded that Mr Rao should explain why he did not visit Mahbubnagar after the general elections.
“Mr Chandrasekhar Rao built a family dynasty under the guise of Telangana movement. He has given several tickets to family members including his son Mr K.T. Rama Rao. What is the contribution of Mr Rama Rao to the Telangana movement? What is the criteria behind the selection of candidates?” Mr Srinivasa Reddy wanted to know.
“I don’t understand why Mr Chandrasekhar Rao failed to thank the people of Mahbubnagar after being elected from there. No one knows where he is. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao is reportedly hiding in New Delhi fearing that he would face the wrath of party leaders. He did not even conduct a review after the elections. This is not the way to lead a party,” he added.
Interestingly, Mr Srinivasa Reddy held his media conference at Telangana Bhavan on Monday.

The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, on Sunday, ordered a survey by an independent agency into the levels of corruption in government departments, and gave a free hand to the Anti-Corruption Bureau to nab dishonest personnel.
The agency will study and revalidate a survey report which the Chief Minister has already acquired on corruption in government. “The report will be handed over to the ACB for action,” Dr Reddy told officials of the Bureau at a review meeting on Sunday.
“The survey will find out public perceptions on key departments,” explained a senior ACB official. The survey agency would find out public perceptions on corruption in government, rather than scrutinising files to spot graft. No private agency can inquire into government procedures or access files.
Dr Reddy told the ACB director-general that corruption in sanctioning Indiramma houses, ration cards and pensions had come to his notice, and asked for stringent action on the personnel involved.
YSR gives free hand to ACB sleuths
Dr Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy asked the ACB to step up raids and set more traps for corrupt personnel. “I am giving you a free hand to deal firmly with corrupt officials. Don’t spare anyone, however influential and mighty they may be. Continue with your good work of conducting raids and trapping corrupt officials,” the Chief Minister told the ACB director-general and other top officials.
ACB officials told the Chief Minister that there was a significant increase in the number of personnel trapped while accepting bribes, and disproportionate assets cases booked in the period from 2004-08, compared to 1995-99 and 2000-04. The ACB also achieved higher conviction rate in 2008 compared to earlier periods.
The number of trap cases booked during from 1995-99 was 575 as against 925 cases from 2004-08. The average number of trap cases booked per year works out to 115 and 185 during 1995 to 1999 and 2004 to 2008 respectively.
The ACB has undertaken more number of disproportionate assets cases compared to neighbouring states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday asked the Anti Corruption Bureau to intensify its raids against corrupt people and assured that there would be no political interference however big or influential the person might be.
Speaking at a review meeting, Reddy, who was criticised for not being tough against those indulged in corruption during his tenure last time, told the department that because of the behaviour of few individuals, the image of the government and the state was getting tarnished.
He said what had disturbed him was that despite the good efforts put in by the officials to implement the welfare programmes, the corrupt practices indulged in by few had tarnished the image of the government and had given a scope for the opposition to convert it into a politically-motivated campaign. He told the ACB that once he gets a final report from his sources, he would pass it on to the ACB for action.
Reddy said that he had commissioned a survey by an independent agency on corruption in some key sectors and based on the report, he had asked for an in-depth inquiry and once the report comes, it would be handed over to the ACB, he said.
Reddy also said that functioning of all departments should go online so that there would be greater transparency in functioning and less chances of corruption.
The ACB director general R R Girish Kumar told the chief minister that the department had achieved greater conviction rate in 2004-08 compared to earlier periods. Even the cases of disproportionate assets cases in the state was highest compared to Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the ACB added.

Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters of Telangana Rashtra Samiti, is virtually under police control since Sunday afternoon following intelligence reports that there was a possibility of attack by party rebels.
According to Banjara Hills circle inspector K Shankar Reddy they had received an intelligence alert about the possible attack on TRS office on Sunday morning. But interestingly even before the police could deploy its personnel at Telangana bhavan, E Srinivas Reddy, Mahabubnagar district unit president and one who was considered to be the right hand man of KCR in Mahabubnagar during the general elections and is credited with his victory, came down heavily on the party president on Sunday at a hurriedly-convened media conference.
In a sort of replica of what Parkala Prabhakar, the Prajarajyam spokesperson had done to Chiranjeevi just before the polls and called him as a poisonous tree, Srinivas Reddy also raised a banner of revolt against KCR and turned a bitter critic.
Demanding KCR’s resignation from the party for having failed to learn lessons from past mistakes and strengthen the party, he felt that KCR had failed the people of Telangana and lost their confidence.
He demanded that KCR quit the party owing moral responsibility for the humiliating defeat TRS had suffered. "KCR is fit for nothing. He made a mockery of Telangana movement," he said. Reddy said instead of reviewing the party’s poll debacle with party leaders, KCR went to New Delhi without informing the leaders. He did not go back to Mahabubnagar to extend gratitude to the people for electing him as MP, he said.
Charging KCR of converting the party into a family-owned firm, Srinivas Reddy said he had given priority to his relatives in the allocation of seats ignoring strong leaders. Giving MLA ticket to his son K Taraka Rama Rao from Siricilla is a case in example, he added. A strong leader K K Mahendar Reddy, who was a dedicated party worker was ignored, he said.
Similarly injustice was meted to many TRS leaders in the election and hence revolt in the party was brewing, he said.Soon after Srinivas Reddy addressed the media conference at party office and left, the police forces were sent to Telangana bhavan to prevent any possible untoward incidents. However, the party leaders continue to maintain that the party office did not receive any threat calls but fail to explain why so many policemen were present in the premises.

The Praja Rajyam chief, Mr K. Chiranjeevi, has given ample indications in the last two days that he was game for the Congress strategy to use him as a foil to weaken the Telugu Desam.
Surprising even his partymen, he announced on Friday that the PR would not contest from Tekkali if the Congress fielded a family member of Mr Revathipathi who died before taking oath. He also announced support for the Women’s Reservation Bill to be piloted by the Congress.
Though Mr Chiranjeevi told mediapersons that the decision not to field a candidate in Tekkali was taken on humanitarian grounds, most people read more into it.
“Though it is a good gesture it would have been politically prudent for us to wait for the Congress to make the first move and then announce it,” said a Praja Rajyam MLA.
Party leaders feel that Mr Chiranjeevi’s attempt to make a positive impression might give people the feeling that PR was sailing with the Congress. The Congress is delighted by the megastar’s gesture since it will make it difficult for the TD to field its candidate. Top advisers of the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, have already drawn up a strategy to counter the TD chief through Mr Chiranjeevi.
This was evident from the way the ruling party members kept thumping benches when the PR chief indirectly attacked the TD during his maiden speech in the House. Mr Chiranjeevi had found fault with Mr Naidu’s stand on the Speaker election and this was appreciated by the treasury benches.
“He should cut into the TD base more than what he did in the recent elections for us to be comfortable in the coming local body polls,” said a senior minister.
The ruling party is also trying to taunt the TD by giving more time to Mr Chiranjeevi to speak.