Justice Hegde 'Dismayed' at Gadkari's Remarks, Not Joining Politics

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 10: Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde, who never feels shy of calling a spade a spade and has become a virtual terror to all corrupt babus and politicians, has expressed his ''dismay” at the criticism against him by BJP national president Nitin Gadkari for ''acting like an opposition leader.”
 
''I really fail to understand what is the statement that I made which made him (Gadkari) say that I am acting like an opposition leader,” Justice Hegde said answering questions from reporters at a meet-the-press programme in Bangalore on Friday.
 
Justice Hegde, who had caused a political storm in May around the time the Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa was getting ready to host the much-hyped Global Investors’ Meet and the two-year-rule of the BJP regime in the State by dropping a bombshell announcing his resignation at the failure of the government to grant him the powers to book the scam-ridden babus and politicians, said he was at a loss to understand why the same Gadkari had visited his residence and personally appealed to withdraw the resignation.

''If he had any reservations about me, he should not have asked me to withdraw my resignation when he came here last time,” said Justice Hegde, who had finally decided to withdraw his resignation after the intervention of senior BJP leader L K Advani and the personal visits of Gadkari along with Yeddyurappa and other ministers promising to grant him full powers.
 
However, Justice Hegde felt the BJP national president might be figuratively correct and justified in his remarks as he personally believed that he was an opposition leader for all parties and people in power when they commit mistakes and guilty of fraud or other irregularities.
 
''Yes, figuratively speaking, I am an opposition leader for all parties in power when they commit mistakes,” he said pointing out that he always believed in the policy of zero tolerance towards corruption.
 
Justice Hegde, who has been outspoken in expressing his feelings whenever confronted with serious irregularities and blatant corrupt deeds, confessed that withdrawal of his resignation earlier this year was a ''mistake”

''I will continue my fight and crusade against corruption till I retire,” said Justice Hegde, who has seven more months to finish his term.

''Sometimes, I feel utterly helpless and frustrated. But I am not the kind of person who will give up easily. I will finish my term and will not commit the mistake of tendering my resignation again. Once was enough,” he said adding: ''I have a lot of work to do. I will complete everything and submit a report before I go.’’

He said there was no institution which was free from corruption including judiciary and media. ''What is needed is zero tolerance towards corruption in general.”

Justice Hegde made it categorically clear that he had no intention of joining politics after completing his term as Lok Ayukta. ''Politics is not my cup of tea. I am not interested in it. My father (Justice K S Hegde) entered politics and that is enough,” he said.

Gadkari has no moral right to speak about Justice Hegde, says Congress

Meanwhile, the State Congress president Dr G Parameshwar strongly condemned BJP national president Nitin Gadkari for his uncharitable remarks against Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde and for ''shamelessly” praising the scam-tainted Yeddyurappa regime for its ''outstanding performance.”

''The BJP has exhibited its double-standards and utter lack of moral scruples in allowing Yeddyurappa to continue as chief minister even after documentary evidence on scam after scam regarding the charges of nepotism, favouritism and other irregularities surfaced,” he said.

The KPCC chief said BJP’s utterances and fights over the alleged 2G spectrum scam at the national level were meaningless when the same party saw nothing wrong in ''glorifying” its own corrupt government in Karnataka.

Dr Parameshwar said Gadkari had no moral right even to speak about Justice Hegde much less to criticise him. ''What Justice Hegde has been doing is holding a mirror to the BJP government. If what the BJP leaders in the state and at the national level see are ugly faces, they should realise that the fault lies not in the mirror but in the rulers,” he said.

The Congress leader alleged that the ruling BJP had already started ''transporting” huge amounts of cash for distribution to voters during the zilla and taluk panchayat polls and wanted the State Election Commission authorities to swing into action right now. The Congress party would lodge complaints in this regard with the State Election Commission, he said.

He said the Congress party would complete the selection of candidates in the next few days and would give prominence to women and youth. ''We will fight the elections on our own without any understanding with any party and will try our best to fight against the ruling party,” he declared.