Lokayukta should explain delay in probing case against Raghavendra: Poojary

Lokayukta should explain delay in probing case against Raghavendra: Poojary

www.mangaloretoday.com

Mangalore, June 7, 2011: The former Union Minister and senior Congress leader B. Janardhana Poojary on Monday asked Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde to explain the inordinate delay in taking up investigation into the complaint of allotting Bangalore Development Authority site to the BJP MP B.Y. Raghavendra, even though he had all the powers to initiate action.

Speaking to presspersons in Bangalore, Mr. Poojary, though did not question the integrity of Mr. Hegde, wanted to know from him why he dilly-dallied in taking swift measures to investigate into the charges. How many days or months, it required to complete investigation, he asked and added all that he was required to do was to summon officers concerned for explaining the wrong doing and pass orders.

 

 

Reminding Mr. Hegde of his statement that he had no time in completing the cases before him, he asked why then he accepted the offer to be on the high level Lokpal Drafting Committee constituted by the Union Government. Should he not have completed the serious cases of illegal mining or iron ore and its export and submitted report to the State Government for initiating action against the accused persons and companies, he asked. Naturally, he said people would have suspicion about Mr. Hegde’s conduct, Mr. Poojary said.

In a democracy, Mr. Poojary said, even Mr. Hegde is answerable and accountable to his errors and lapses. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders such as L.K. Advani had admonished Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s maladministration, but failed to remove him, he said and termed their attitude as “cowardice”.

Giving a clean chit to social activist Anna Hazare for his integrity, Mr. Poojary said that he was unhappy for his silence over the rampant corruption in the BJP Government, especially cases involving Mr. Yeddyurappa, when he visited Karnataka recently. The BJP, he said, had started aligning with yoga guru Baba Ramdev only to cover up corruption cases involving its leaders.

Mr. Poojary accused Ramdev of bringing down the reputation of observing satyagraha by lavishly spending on his hunger strike. But, the same thing could not be said on hunger strike launched by Mr. Hazare.

The Congress leader defended the Delhi police for taking Mr. Ramdev into custody, as he had taken permission to hold yoga camp and not satyagraha. There was threat perception and the police showed that they had guts in taking stringent action, when security of people was in danger.