From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Nov 19: Union Corporate Affairs Minister and former Karnataka Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily on Saturday sharply criticised the BJP Government in the State for its attempts to appoint Justice S R Bannurmath as the Lokayukta despite allegations against his holding site in the judicial layout.

Inaugurating the L G Havanur Endowment Lecture organed by Lawyers’ Forum for Social Justice, he said it was not right for the Government to appoint a former judge who was under cloud.

There were many retired judges, who have not involved in any of the controversies and it was better for the Government to choose one among them, he suggested.

The former chief minister said the State BJP President K S Eshwarappa’s reported demand for winding up the Lokayukta Institution showed the BJP’s lack of maturity.

Karnataka Lokayukta had been hailoed as one of the best Institution in the country and of late the state was being discredited because of the allegation of large scale corruption, he said pointing out that Eshwarappa himself was part of the government under former chief minister B S Yeddyurapa.

Lokayukta was the only ray of hope in society’s fight against corruption, he said pointed out that the talk of winding the institution will not augur well for the state unit of the national party, which was fighting against corruption at national level.

He sought to know what is the stand of Anna Team, which is fighting against corruption at national level and demanding strong Jan Lokpal Bill, was doing to fight corruption in Karnataka.

''It has to oppose the talk of winding up of Lokayukta in Karnataka," he said.