BENGALURU: Even as the state government submitted a report to the High Court over the formation of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and its ongoing process, the court on Tuesday came down heavily against the state’s move to scuttle Lokayukta.
It observed that while the Lokayukta is in a suspended state and ACB is yet to fully start functioning, there seems to be a sense of tranquillity for the corrupt officials in the state. The court further expressed its displeasure over the present situation, which has paralysed the system.
The court was hearing the plea of by Dr V.L. Nandish, a professor in Mandya Medical College, seeking to quash the proceedings against him by the Lokayukta on the grounds of delay in probing the case against him. Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda further observed that if the situation continues, public will teach a lesson in an appropriate time.
Meanwhile the state government submitted to the court about the formation of ACB and made it clear that it is not transferring any of the Lokayukta police to ACB and said that a separate wing comprising 235 staff members have been appointed and it will function as an independent body. The state government is now more determined to fight against corruption, it said.
However, the court expressed displeasure while questioning the state on why ACB need to be formed, when Lokayukta was very much in existence.
“The court has no objection to ACB, but why the state did not take the Opposition and others into confidence before setting up of such a body. Is it not something to be discussed under the democratic set up before taking any decision to form a new body,” the court questioned.
When the court sought to know on cases of corruption against IAS officers, which are held up due to pending sanctions to prosecute them, it was unhappy with the state’s explanation that it was under process. It directed the state to submit the files to the court relating to such officers against which the sanction to prosecute them were pending.
The court also observed that there are no holidays as such for the corruption, and it is in full swing even during Ugadi, Deepavali and many more festivals. “If they are not curbed, or at least controlled it will turn overnight into a situation like tsunami,” court said.
AAP activists to tonsure in protest
Hunger strike, tonsuring of heads and couriering the hair to chief minister — these are the modes of protest planned by the members of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to register their anger and mourn the ‘murdering’ of Lokayukta as an institution.
Launching a “Save Lokayukta” campaign and scrapping of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), the party called for reinstatement of the autonomy of the lokayukta police. The members of the AAP will resort to hunger strike with their heads tonsured from Wednesday in front of the Gandhi Statue at Ananda Rao Circle.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday Ravikrishna Reddy said, “Shaved hairs will be couriered to houses of greedy chief minister, which he can sell to make money. If we don’t take up this as a matter of life and death, this corrupt government will not relent and will continue with its anti-people actions and it is a matter of time before Karnataka falls prey to the rule of the ‘Jungle Raj’.”
In the current situation, there is no one who can prevent or punish government representatives, officials or ministers who indulge in corruption. The head of the state himself has stifled the only entity – Lokayukta - that used to responsibly listen to the grievances of the people and offer them solace. The people of Karnataka are left without any hope in such a situation, Reddy added.
AAP National Executive Prithvi Reddy said that activists and supporters will be mobilized from different districts to intensify the protest. The party requested the public to show their displeasure towards the government by shaving their heads, wearing black arm bands or black clothes and sitting in hunger strikes wherever possible.
The AAP called upon the citizens to give a missed call to 080-67519053 to support their fight against the anti-people actions of the State Government.
