Ombudsman's Resignation Clouds BJP Government's Anniversary Fete
Bangalore, June 24 (IANS) The resignation of Karnataka's anti-corruption panel head has chipped away some sheen off a grand function planned by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to mark its two years in office Friday.
The Lok Ayukta (anti-corruption panel head) N. Santosh Hegde quit a year ahead of the end of his five-year term saying he was frustrated at government's indifference to this constitutional body set up to curb corruption in bureaucracy.
Political parties, advocates in several parts of Karnataka and many organizations Thursday flayed the government for its non-cooperation with the Lok Ayukta and urged Governor H.R. Bhardwaj to reject Hegde's resignation.
Hegde, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, was scathing in his attack on the government of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is organizing the 'Sadhana Samavesha' to celebrate his two years in office.
He took over as BJP's first chief minister in Karnataka and south India in May 2008.
Hegde, appointed to the post in August 2006, submitted his resignation to Bhardwaj Wednesday evening requesting that it be accepted with effect from Aug 31. Hegde said he wanted to give time to the government to appoint his successor before leaving as otherwise the post becomes defunct without an incumbent.
Lawyers in Haveri in north Karnataka and Ramanagara on Bangalore outskirts stayed away from court proceedings Thursday protesting government's indifference to the Lok Ayukta. They demanded Hegde to take back his resignation or governor to reject it.
Pro-Kannada groups, farmers' organizations, Dalit groups besides opposition Congress and Janata Dal-Secular parties also came out in support of Hegde.
While pro-Kannada groups demonstrated in Bangalore and Mysore, former legislator and president of Karnataka Raitha Sangha (farmers' organization) K. S. Puttannaiah held a press conference in Mysore urging government to meet Lok Ayukta's demand for more powers to protect his officers and deal with the corrupt.
Lawyers in Bangalore held a meeting to decide what action to take to make Hegde continue as Lok Ayukta.
Former prime minister and JD-S president H.D. Deve Gowda, his son and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, another son and leader of the party in the assembly H.D. Revanna, Congress state president R.V. Deshpande and several other party leaders held separate press meets or issued statements blaming Yeddyurappa regime for Hegde's quit decision.
Hegde's resignation is one more embarrassment for both Yeddyurappa and the BJP ahead of the 'Sadhana Samavesha' where the party hopes to gather over 50,000 people from across the state to laud his government's 'achievements' in the last two years.
Along with the turbulent journey, fortune has been favouring Yeddyurappa and BJP, so far. The party has managed to bag majority of seats in all the elections, Lok Sabha, several by-polls to the assembly and the legislative council and the Bangalore civic body, held after it came to power two years back.
"These election results show that people are with us. Let the opposition say what they want," Yeddyurappa asserts.