War on corruption: ‘Centre not serious’
Justice N. Santosh Hegde, Karnataka’s Lokayukta and a former Supreme Court judge, is on the drafting committee of the Lokpal Bill as a member of the civil society. On April 21, Justice Hegde threatened to withdraw from the panel in the face of the “smear campaign” against him and his co-panelists, but Anna Hazare urged him not to step down. Expressing pessimism about the outcome of the present efforts in the direction of a Lokpal legislation, Justice Hegde tells Bala Chauhan that the government is not serious about fighting corruption.
Q. You have said that the joint drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill has a huge task before it. Then why did you express a desire to quit the panel? Were you not losing sight of the larger goal of drafting a strong Lokpal Bill?
A. The issue was not merely confined to my resignation. It also concerned a relentless attack on my co-panelists by a political party ever since the anti-corruption movement gained momentum. A five-year old case of 2006 — of an alleged questionable land allotment to the Bhushans — surfaced just after the first meeting of the drafting committee. Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, who had said a few days ago that he didn’t know the Karnataka Lokayukta, turned around and made a very serious allegation against me — that I’m protecting Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yedyurappa and that I have a quid pro quo relationship with him. Recently the Central Empowered Committee submitted its report before the Supreme Court on illegal mining in Karnataka. It is largely based on my first report which clearly stated that there’s large-scale official and political collusion in illegal mining. How could then Mr Singh make such allegations? A few days ago the Union law minister, Veerappa Moily, made a similar remark — that though the state has a strong Lokayukta Act, the Lokayukta has not been able to control rampant corruption. The timing needs to be questioned. How long can one take politically motivated barbs aimed at one’s reputation? Also, I have lot of unfinished work in Bengaluru, especially my second report on illegal mining which I need to submit before I demit office of the Lokayukta in August this year.
Q. But you knew in advance that the task before the drafting committee would not be easy.
A. Yes, I knew that the road ahead is not going to be easy, and that we have a huge responsibility towards the people of India to provide a strong and meaningful Lokpal Bill. We are trying to take the bill forward for the last 40 years. I don’t want posterity to blame us for not doing the work. All that we are now asking the detractors of the bill is to allow us to function. But there is a section of influential people who would be affected most by the Lokpal Bill and have launched a smear campaign against the panelists for vested reasons. At the end of it all, if they win, so be it. It would be most unfortunate.
Q. Who are these people?
A. I don’t know. But a spokesperson from a political party seems to be very active.
Q. Will your stepping out of the frame dilute the civil society element in the panel?
A. I don’t think so. I may request my co-panelists, including Annaji, to nominate someone else in my place.
Q. Do you have anybody in mind?
A. No. I will leave it to the committee to take a decision. I will stay on if they ask me to.
Q. If the panelists from the civil society withdraw, the drafting committee would be left with members from the government side. Will their draft be acceptable to the civil society activists?
A. In such an eventuality the government members may appoint other members from the civil society who are on the same wave length. We will have to accept their decision.
Q. What should be the key features of the Lokpal Bill?
A. I have always advocated the need for a strong Lokpal Bill. The Lokpal should be vested with suo motu powers to prosecute the corrupt. The Prime Minister should be brought under the ambit of the Lokpal.
Q. With all these roadblocks, do you think the final draft of the bill will be ready by June 30?
A. It’s going to be difficult, but we may be able to put up the first draft provided we put in concerted effort.
Q. If we had a Lokpal, do you think the institution could have averted a scam of the scale of 2G spectrum?
A. Yes. If we had a strong Lokpal, s/he might have been able to avert the 2G scam.
Q. Are you hopeful that the Lokpal legislation will see the light of day?
A. No. It may not happen in the near future. I’m very pessimistic about it. Some government in the future may put it through.
Q. Why this pessimism?
A. I don’t think the government is serious about fighting corruption.
Q. Finally, what does it take to be Santosh Hegde?
A. It takes me to be me (laughs). I look at my own conduct and derive strength from my convictions. The present Chief Justice of India says his integrity is his biggest asset. I would like to borrow his phrase.
This interview was conducted on April 22
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