R-Day celebrations: Babu demands special Act to curb rampant corruption

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday demanded that the Centre brings in a Special Act to deal with rampant corruption in the country.

Addressing the gathering after unfurling the National Flag at the TDP office in Guntur to mark the country’s 62nd Republic Day Celebrations, the TDP chief said that corruption was rampant in the country and a Special Act with more teeth will be able to help the government deal against the guilty sternly and firmly.

Reacting on the Union Finance Minister’s statement that it is ‘highly difficult’ to get back black money stashed away abroad, Mr Naidu ridiculed Mr Pranab Mukherjee’s defense and stated that the government can get the cash stashed away abroad if it has firm commitment.

The TDP chief alleged that black money, to the tune of Rs 73 lakh crore, was stashed away in tax haven abroad, due to failure of legal and income tax department. “If we get back that entire money, the government can spend as much as Rs 2 lakh per poor family,” he pointed out.

The former chief minister also asked tenant farmers not to commit suicide and stated that his party would fight for their cause until they get due justice from the government and solutions to their problems.

Mr Naidu also demanded that the Centre name TDP founder-president NT Rama Rao for the Bharat Ratna in light of the late leader’s contributions to the state, particularly to Telugu Cinema industry.

Meanwhile, TDP vice president Prathibha Bharati hoisted the Tricolor at party headquarters, the NTR Trust Bhavan in Hyderabad. She paid rich tributes to freedom fighters to mark Republic Day celebrations.

The TDP vice-president called on the party to be alert and prevent corrupt practices in the administration, especially in government offices in the state.

Elsewhere, Praja Rajyam Party president K Chiranjeevi hoisted the National Flag at his party office in Jubilee Hills to mark Republic Day celebrations.

He called upon the youth to play a major role in the progress of the country and take challenges with courage.

Senior party leaders Kotagiri Vidyadhar Rao and prominent educationist C Ramachandraaiah were present in the programme.

Unfurling the Tricolor at party office, Bharatiya Janata Party leader M Venkaiah Naidu condemned the arrest of BJP leaders, who tried to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir.

Terming the arrest of BJP leaders as `shameful,’ Mr Venkaiah Naidu said that, by obstructing the hoisting of the Tricolor, the government has become the `betrayers of Nation’.

He called upon party workers to launch second freedom struggle against rampant corruption in the country.

BJP state unit president G Kishen Reddy and other leaders were present.