JSP’s Bolisetty quits party role over environmental PIL
Visakhapatnam: In a move to ensure that political commitments should not come in the way of fighting for the people and society, general secretary (environment) of the Jana Sena Party (JSP) and national convenor of Jal Biradari, Bolisetty Satyanarayana decided to step down from all party-affiliated responsibilities with immediate effect.
Citing ethical and legal considerations linked to ongoing environmental public interest litigation, the announcement was made in this regard.
In a letter addressed to the JSP high command, Satyanarayana said his decision was made following a meeting with key leaders of the party and thoughtful deliberation regarding his dual responsibilities as a senior party functionary and the petitioner in WP (PIL) No. 248/2020, which is currently before the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Satyanarayana wrote to JSP chief Pawan Kalyan that the PIL, filed in 2020, concerns critical pollution issues, including untreated sewage, pharmaceutical effluents and industrial contamination in north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
He noted that while the petition was initiated during the previous YSRCP’s regime, the present political context has changed with the formation of the NDA government and Jana Sena as a key alliance partner.
Satyanarayana pointed out that the state government and the ministry of environment are prime respondents in the case, and that the party president, Pawan Kalyan, now holds the environment portfolio.
Further, Satyanarayana stated that continuing in a high-ranking party position while pursuing litigation against the state government could lead to a perceived conflict of interest, potentially compromise the impartiality of judicial proceedings.
Being associated with the political party, he added that such circumstances could divert attention from the core objective of environmental protection.
Emphasising his commitment towards political ethics, Satyanarayana said he had chosen to step aside from the political responsibilities to ensure that the ‘cause of the environment’ remained free from political complexity. However, he clarified that the move was temporarily intended to remain in force until the final judicial purpose of the PIL.
While extending his support to the ideology of JSP, Satyanarayana said that his responsibilities as a petitioner and as national convenor of Jal Biradari required him to maintain a distance from formal party roles to ensure that justice was served without prejudice. He expressed confidence in the present government and in Pawan Kalyan’s leadership that it would deliver positive environmental outcomes.
Satyanarayana expressed gratitude to the party leadership’s continued support for environmental causes and confirmed that the non-political initiative ‘Mana Nudi Mana Nadi’ would continue.
He added that his decision would enable him to engage with the public and the media on constitutional issues freely, including environmental degradation and human rights without political constraints.
