State administration is a natak: Lokayukta

"I'm very sad to say that administration is a natak (drama) here. Promises are made and forgotten. Since 2004, successive governments have tried to outweed each other in corruption. Sadly, the intelligentsia has also succumbed to such regimes," Justice Hegde rued.

In the Lokayukta's opinion, the modus operandi of corruption has not changed but its speed and vastness have increased tremendously over the years.

The ombudsman was speaking at a function to release 'Natak Karnatak', the compilation of a series of articles written on the State's political situation, healthcare, the future of Kannada language, the never-ending CET imbroglios and cricket by Ramakrishna Upadhya, Senior Editor, Deccan Herald.

"There are more jokers than serious players in this book. And they are making the people of Karnataka look like jokers”, the Lokayukta quipped.

He also lamented that people had developed tolerance to dishonesty. "Instead of adopting a zero tolerance to corruption, we have taken to tolerating the zero," he said referring to the numerous scams that amount to lakhs of crores of rupees.

Kannada litterateur U R Ananthamurthy commended journalism for its ability to revive things which were once very important but have since been forgotten. But he criticised it for what he called its penchant for raising non-issues.

In his address, Upadhya hoped the book would stir up a debate against corrupt practices in governance. The book has been published by Prarthana Books and is priced at Rs 290.