BSY sheds no tears for Hegde

Facing a battery of uncomfortable questions at a scheduled press conference at the Bangalore Press Club on Thursday, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa made it known that his government was comfortable accepting Justice Hegde’s resignation.

“Being a retired Supreme Court judge and a senior person, he has taken a decision. I don’t want to put him in an embarrassing situation,” the chief minister said when asked if his government considered appealing to the Lokayukta to take back his resignation.

The press conference — scheduled by the chief minister to explain his government’s report card for the last two years on the eve of Friday’s meet to mark the completion of two years in office — got virtually hijacked by the Lokayukta resignation issue.

Unfazed by Justice Hegde’s damning indictment of his administration, the chief minister said: “On behalf of the State government, I thank him for his service.”

Yeddyurappa, however, admitted that he had not anticipated the Lokayukta’s sudden resignation, but sought to link Justice Hegde’s decision to quit to the government’s completion of two years in office and the forthcoming Assembly session scheduled to begin on June 28.

Trial by fire

The CM indicated that despite the serious charges of corruption, maladministration and lack of transparency that the Lokayukta had levelled against his government, he would come out unscathed. “I have faced many ‘agni parikshe’ (trial by fire) in the last two years. This is one more ‘agni parikshe’ for me. I am prepared to face it.”

In the course of the press conference, the chief minister gave his version on specific issues that the Lokayukta had raised at this post-resignation press conference on Wednesday.

Referring to Justice Hegde’s views on the delay in appointing a Upa Lokayukta, Yeddyurappa said it was unintentional. Seeking to rationalise the delay, the chief minister said a series of elections and the application of the model code of conduct came in the way of appointing a Upa Lokayukta.

Going on the offensive, Yeddyurappa wondered why the issue was raised only now. He said even in the past, the Upa Lokayukta’s post had remained vacant for long periods of time. The post was vacant for more than a year (1991-92) and also between 2002 and 2004. “Why is it that the political parties did not raise the issue then,” he asked.

Point out that the institution of Lokayukta had no suo motu powers since 1986, Yeddyurappa charged his political opponents who were in government earlier with not doing anything then and “making hue and cry now”.

On the contrary, the chief minister said, the previous BJP-JD(S) government had set up a cabinet sub-committee on granting powers to the Lokayukta, “but it did not take any decision.”

“We will consider the demand for strengthening the institution by granting additional powers. The issue has been in debate for 12-13 years. I will discuss the matter with my Cabinet colleagues and decide,” he said.

Recalling his recent meeting with Justice Hegde, the chief minister said the Lokayukta had urged him to consider some demands. He said his government had created 292 new posts in the Lokayukta, granted 15 per cent special allowance for the police force that functioned under the ombudsman, and sanctioned a new office complex in the newly created district of Yadgir, besides agreeing to issue bus passes to the police.