Fed up with corruption, Karnataka Lokayukta resigns
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Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, known for his crusade against corruption and the mining lobby, made a sudden decision to resign from his post, criticising the state government for its indifference towards the Lokayukta institution. Civil society groups feel his resignation has exposed the rot in the system
Former Supreme Court Judge N Santosh Hedge has resigned from the post of Karnataka Lokayukta, saying: “I don’t want to be useless, sitting in a position. It is not enough if I catch people. I need powers to bring cases to their logical conclusion.”
Hegde, who during his four years in office led a crusade against corruption, especially on the issue of illegal mining activity in the state, made repeated references to feeling powerless and being unable to take any concrete steps towards curbing corruption. “I feel helpless and useless,” he declared.
Shocked at the resignation of the most trusted ombudsman, activists and legal experts in Karnataka pointed out that Bangalore needed a Lokayukta to put an end to corruption. The Lokayukta office under Justice Hegde flourished as he went around town exposing the corrupt and their scams.
Nina Nayak, chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said: “As an ombudsman, Justice Hegde did his homework well and put a lot of hard work into exposing wrong-doers. Obviously, he would have wanted to see the execution of his job.” She felt that lack of power brought on his resignation, as he was unable to take action against those found to be in the wrong.
Geetha Menon, secretary of Stree Shakti, said: “The city requires a monitoring system to ensure corruption is curbed.” However, she felt that the Lokayukta having “no teeth” only “shows how serious the government is about dealing with corruption within”.
Source: Press Trust of India, June 24, 2010
Deccan Herald, June 24, 2010
DNA, June 24, 2010