Praja Rajyam & BJP move High Court over ban

January 6th 2009 – HYDERABAD: The Prajarajyam party and BJP on Monday filed separate writ petitions in the AP High Court seeking suspension of the circular memorandum of the DGP, which imposed a blanket ban on political roadshows in the state.

PRP general secretary Allu Arvind and BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy moved the vacation court with a plea that this `unlawful’ memo was disabling them from addressing the citizens of the state at a time when the state was heading towards elections in the next two months. They claimed that the DGP had no legal competence to issue the circular as he had no power, authority or jurisdiction to do so.

Defending the concept of roadshows, the petitioners said this was introduced only to lessen the inconvenience of the people. This was the reverse process of a stationed public meeting to bring the leader to the masses and not vice versa, they said.

When there is no prohibition on padayatra (the one that the present chief minister YSR undertook in 2004) or `Chalo Assembly’ __ which are also associated with participation of respective supporters in crew __ there cannot be any different treatment to a roadshow, they said.

Though the DGP’s circular talks about notifying certain roads where limited convoys of leaders are allowed, the leaders said in their petition that the police authorities were registering cases against political leaders even before notifying such roads.

A circular cannot override the existing statutes and it cannot supplant the law, they said. Though this circular has not come from the legislature, it has already taken the shape and the colour of a law, they said.

The petitioners also wanted the court to declare the Police Act, 1861 as unconstitutional because it has no legislative sanction in view of certain provisions of the seventh schedule of the constitution.

The more they suppress Praja Rajyam, the more it will bounce back – Chiranjeevi

‘Mega’ meet: Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi addresses a public meeting at Sulluripeta on January 4th 2009

January 4th 2009 -Nellore: The actor-turned-politician was addressing a public meeting at Sullurpet in Nellore district during the third phase of his Praja Ankita Yatra on Sunday. Chiranjeevi claimed that the Congress was jealous of the public response to his road shows.

“That is why they are making baseless allegations against me,” he said. The Praja Rajyam leader said that his blood bank had won an award at the national level and defended the criticism levelled by his brother Pavan Kalyan against the Congress.

“You should chase away Congress leaders. What is wrong in exposing the misdeeds of political leaders? In the Assembly, they use vulgar language and call names and compare each other with animals. Our prime agenda is to bring about change in the society with a corruption-free rule,” the Praja Rajyam leader said. He alleged that ever since the launch of his party, the Congress was creating hurdles like putting restrictions on road shows.

“By banning road shows, the Congress has temporarily succeeded in separating me from my mothers, sisters and brothers. But, we will win. The more they suppress Praja Rajyam, the more it will bounce back,” he said. He announced that the PR would cancel the SEZs in the state if it came to power.

Recalling the success of his Pulivendula tour, he said: “I twirled my moustache and slapped my thigh on public demand. My gesture reflected the will and aspirations of the people of Pulivendula. I don’t need any passport or visa to come to my people,” he said.

Chiranjeevi complained that the Congress was filing false cases against PR activists. “Even if I greet the people, it is considered a crime,” he said. The PR chief claimed that while the Congress had muscle and money power he had the support of his fans.

He also took a dig at the Telugu Desam and said: “Great leaders like Pucchalapalli Sundaraiah cycled their way to the Assembly. The present day leaders are throwing away cycles and are moving in Merecedes Benz.” He also recalled the sacrifices made by Potti Sriramulu during the meeting. | Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle

Prajarajyam Promises Telangana – If Voted To Power

Prajarajyam Chief Mega Star Chiranjeevi

January 3rd 2009 – HYDERABAD: The Praja Rajyam Party found itself in a piquant situation on Friday when its president K. Chiranjeevi had to clarify that spokesman Katti Padma Rao’s statement that the party was in favour of a separate Telangana was the official policy.

On Friday afternoon, Mr. Rao categorically said at a press conference that if voted to power, it would move a resolution in the Assembly favouring a separate Telangana State.

He was only defending the Yuva Rajyam (Youth Wing of Praja Rajyam) president Pawan Kalyan who drew flak recently when he asked the Government to clear its stand on Telangana.

When repeatedly asked about how the party could go about the process of facilitating the formation of a separate State, he said they would definitely do what they could on the matter, depending on the majority they got in the general elections, at the State and the Centre.

Later, when presspersons asked Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi to expand on his party’s standpoint on the issue, he said he had all along been saying he would do whatever the people wanted.

When asked again, he said the terminology used by different leaders in the same leader could be different and that it did not mean any distortion in the party’s stand.

When asked if Mr. Pawan Kalyan’s criticism and the manner in which he hit out at Congress leaders, meant the Praja Rajyam was giving the go-by to ‘Gandhigiri’, Mr. Chiranjeevi said it was not so. “He is young and enthusiastic. We should only go by what he meant ”, he added. | Courtesy: The Hindu

Victory of Prajayam – Hight Court Roadshow Verdict

Praja Rajyam Chief Chiranjeevi

Hyderabad, Dec. 30: The Praja Rajyam has welcomed the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s verdict on road shows. The PR spokesperson, Mr Parakala Prabhakar, claimed that though the government brought the law to prevent tried to impose a ban on road shows to prevent Chiranjeevi from meeting people, the High Court has delivered justice.

“It is the victory of democracy. Nobody can stop us from meeting the public,” he said. The PR leaders said the recent stay order issued by the High Court over road shows had come as a body blow to the party which drew huge crowd through the road shows in north Andhra, north Telangana and Rayalaseema.

However, some PR leaders feel that it would be difficult for Chiranjeevi to address road shows in accordance with the latest directives of the court. “As there are so many conditions to conduct road shows, it is not easy for us. The government has formulated the rules only to book cases against us during the road shows. We have to think twice before conducting road shows,” said an aide of Chiranjeevi.

The PR top brass is now dithering over whether to go for road shows or to hold mini public meetings in the next leg of Chiranjeevi’s tour that will cover Nellore and Prakasam districts from January 4 to 10.

Praja Rajyam chief calls for futuristic urban planning

December 28, 2008 – HYDERABAD:Criticises eviction of people from Bhimraowada slum | Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi on Saturday criticised the State government for poor urban planning and accused those in power of not keeping in mind the interests of the teeming lakhs who migrated to the State capital in search of jobs.

Mega Star Chiranjeevi at ‘Praja Ankita Sabha’ at Kushaiguda, Hyderabad.

Addressing a well-attended ‘Praja Ankita Sabha’ at Kushaiguda on the outskirts, his third since Friday in Ranga Reddy district, he said that a government that claimed to be dedicated to the welfare of the poor and the middle classes, was only duping them by using them as vote banks and working for the rich and the privileged.

The Praja Rajyam leader took objection to the way in which people at Bhimraowada were evicted on Friday night and said the government had chosen the timing because the victims would not have access to courts on Saturday and Sunday. “Is this a government for the poor and the underprivileged?”

Cites Singapore model
He regretted ‘lack of coordination’ between different urban planning and implementation bodies and said corruption too was the reason for the lack of cohesion. “Look at Singapore, where planning is done for a minimum of 25 years around every aspect of an urban area – be it the growth in population, number of vehicles and infrastructure required.

Mr. Chiranjeevi addressed another well-attended public meeting at the Circus Ground near Kamineni Hospital on the Ring Road in LB Nagar. Around both the venues, normal traffic was disrupted as thousands of people parked their vehicles in haphazard fashion, giving the police a tough time.

Chiranjeevi talks tough on State Government

Houseful: Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi at a public meeting in Kukatpally on Friday.

December 26, 2008, HYDERABAD: Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi on Friday charged the State government with robbing Andhra Pradesh of precious mineral resources.

Addressing a packed gathering at a ground in Kukatpally Housing Board Phase III as part of his ‘Praja Ankitha Sabha’ programme in Ranga Reddy district, he launched a broadside against corruption in practically every government programme and cited the goings-on in Obulapuram mines in Anantapur district as an example.

He said that an estimated Rs. 4.5 crore was earned by the Obulapuram Mining Corporation everyday, while it was paying a pittance to the government as mining cess. With a month’s earnings of the corporation, he said, every primary health centre in the State could be revamped and adequately stocked with medicines.

Likewise, if corruption in high places was curbed, he said, everything that could not be done now with cramped fiscal resources could be achieved. For example, he said, with a mere Rs. 450 crore, social welfare hostels could be well-equipped to make students of the weaker sections comfortable enough for them to study well and perform better.

He told the predominantly middle-class gathering in one of Asia’s largest housing colonies that all they needed was a good job, a roof over their heads that they could call their own, education for their children and healthcare facilities. “For any government, providing these basic facilities is not a big deal. But it is not happening due to vote-bank politics and alarming levels of corruption. I promise to change all that when the Praja Rajyam comes to power,” he affirmed.

Overwhelmed by the cheering crowds, Mr. Chiranjeevi became ‘megastar’ for a while towards the end. Telling them he was being “imprisoned in their hearts”, he asked them what it meant and pat came the roaring response ‘Khaidi’ (prisoner) referring to a hugely-popular film of his in the past.

The crowds were so large that it took the Praja Rajyam leader’s ‘ratham’ about half-an-hour to navigate through them, towards Qutbullapur, where he addressed another meeting.

Chiranjeevi claims space of third alternative in AP

Golden words: An elderly woman blessing Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi during his Praja Ankita Sabha in Patancheru on Monday, 22 Dec 08..

SANGAREDDY: Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi here on Monday claimed that they were the third alternative to the ruling party and the Opposition in the State.

The PR president, for the first time, claimed the space for the third alternative in the State, a slot which was hitherto claimed by the Left parties. Addressing Praja Ankita Sabha meetings at Patancheru and Sangareddy, the first in the series in Medak district, Mr. Chiranjeevi said that both the ruling party and the Opposition were worried about the entry of another party into the political arena and were not in a position to digest this.

Stating that change was the need of the hour, he claimed that this was possible and he could show it indeed.

“Your Chiranjeevi has no regional differences. My life is dedicated to the people,” he said emotionally urging people to have belief in his sincerity and commitment. Referring to the success of his road shows in Coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema, the PR president said that those who were unhappy over the success of his yatras had approached the court and got a stay on the road shows, which he would abide by, he said.

Touches on pollution
Trying to identify himself with the local issues, Mr. Chiranjeevi compared the pollution in the district to that of the corruption in politics. “You are experiencing the worst form of pollution in the district. The corruption of the public representatives led to the pollution. Remove the pollution in politics by allowing fresh water,” he urged the people, suggesting them not to get carried away by the schemes being announced by the government.