Did Santosh Hegde Bow Down to Politicians or Vice versa?
by Political Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Bangalore, Jul 4: After the high voltage fracas following Justice N Santosh Hegde’s resignation as Lokayukta of Karnataka comes the thud that he has withdrawn the resignation exactly 10 days after he resigned from his high profile job accusing the state BJP government of non-cooperation his fight against corruption. His decision to quit send tremors in the state BJP government and in a bid to restore the first and only BJP government in the south the BJP top brass chalked out a damage control mission. Senior BJP leader L K Advani spoke to Hegde and requested him to withdraw his resignation and lo this crusader against corruption bowed down to the wishes of the BJP leadership. “The respect I have for L K Advani has forced me to withdraw my resignation.
It is not out of political pressure I took this decision”, Hegde clarified after withdrawing his resignation.
Needless to say, his withdrawal has not been viewed without suspicion by many especially by those who took Justice Hegde seriously and admired his guts and his no-nonsense approach in his rusade against corrupt politicians or officials irrespective of their political affiliations or the party they belong to. Earlier, Hegde had withstood pressures from all quarters including the opposition and categorically denied reconsidering his decision to quit the post of Lokayukta saying his decision was final and political motive should not be attached to his resignation. “This is my personal decision and it is final”, he had thundered.
Political colour, his resignation did achieve and it put the state government and the central BJP leadership in a tight spot as his resignation would send a wrong message that the BJP was not serious on fighting corruption and it was also shielding some corrupt politicians known to be subverting the law after his resignation became a national issue. The Congress was quick to grab the opportunity and demanded a probe terming it as a politician-mafia nexus in Karnataka at all levels. Some even minced no words in dubbing Santhosh Hegde as Congress agent who, they said, was bent upon blackmailing the BJP government in the state.
This sudden volte-face from Justice Santhosh Hegde to withdraw resignation has come as a shocker for his ardent admirers mainly because it was very much evident from day one that his resignation was the outcome of ‘exasperation’ of his helplessness which stemmed from the fact that most of these officials were roaming free giving an impression that Lokayukta was ‘toothless tiger”. After all, Santhosh Hegde has that standing of being a champion fighting against corruption and his clean image and non-partisan ways of dealings was like an icing on the cake. He had carried out almost 100 odd raids throughout Karnataka and nabbed several government officials who had amassed humungous wealth by working on the wrong side of the law.
What precipitated his resignation and pushed him to the edge was the recent mining scam when Dy Conservator of Forests in Karwar was suspended after he seized illegally transported iron ore, working in tandem with the Lokayukta. He said his resignation was a mark of protest as he wanted to protect the man who had acted on his behalf. And now one wonders what prompted Santhosh Hegde to withdraw his resignation apart from requests by BJP’s National leadership including senior leader Advani and BJP President Gadkari. No doubt the Chief Minister and Law Minister have assured they would fulfill all his concerns, which means he has to give suo motu powers to the Lokayukta to prosecute the corrupt but powerful officials. This is easier said than done simply because the issue of suo motu powers has been pending for the last 24 years without any positive actions.
So whatever assurances given by the Chief Minister will remain only assurances and Hegde’s reports and recommendations will also gather dust in the CM’s office until concrete actions are taken. With Hegde particularly miffed against the mining lobby of Bellary headed by the Reddy brothers who are not well disposed towards the Chief Minister, the controversy is sure to erupt again and if Hegde chooses to go the way he has been doing. It is a tricky situation and is sure to deepen the wedge between the Chief Minister and Reddy coterie. That leaves a big question mark over the assurances given to the Lokayukta by the Chief Minister. That way Hegde’s resignation and subsequent withdrawal has taken many colours and twists giving rise to an array of thoughts when seen in entirety. Some view his withdrawing the resignation as bowing down to the pressure tactics of politicians. But it has to be accepted that the entire episode has left many of Hegde ardent supporters crestfallen.
There is also a thought that Santhosh Hegde has made the highest and the mightiest bow down to public opinion and that Hegde succeeded in making his resignation a national issue which made political bigwigs in BJP to come to him requesting him to reconsider his decision to quit. Whatever may be the compulsions it looks as though Santhosh Hegde thought it fit to fight from within rather than being out of it. Let us hope he will continue his crusade with the eagerness he has exhibited as Karnataka’s Lokayukta.