<p>“While the BJP is making all-out efforts to discredit the Lokayukta in Karnataka, its central leaders have been clamouring for a Lokpal Bill. It’s a stark dichotomy,” Moily said while speaking to reporters here on Saturday.<br /><br />Moily, a former chief minister of the State, said the Lokayukta institution held a ray of hope to people to fight against graft at a time when Karnataka had earned the dubious distinction of being the “most corrupt” State in the country. <br /><br />He criticised the statement of BJP State unit president K S Eshwarappa questioning the utility of the Lokayukta.<br /><br />Supporting the decision of Governor H R Bhardwaj to reject the name of former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S R Bannurmath as Lokayukta, Moily said it was not “prudent” on the part of the State government to insist on its choice.<br /><br />“It is not a prudent step by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda that the Governor accept his government’s recommendation for appointing Bannurmuth as Lokayukta. <br /><br />There are several eligible retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts who can be appointed to the post. The policy of naming people of a particular community for the post is unacceptable” he said. <br /><br />The institution of Lokayukta in Karnataka has earned a good name across the country. All the people who occupied the post have struggled to root out the scourge of corruption, Moily added. <br /><br />He noted that attempts were now being made at the government level to destabilise the institution. <br /><br />He urged members of Team Anna fighting for Lokpal Bill to mount a campaign to ensure that Lokayukta institution was not disbanded. <br /><br />‘OBC not homogeneous’<br /><br />Earlier, speaking after inaugurating the L G Havanur Endowment Lecture, Moily suggested that the Other Backward Class (OBC) be split into two categories - most backward class and backward classes. He opined that OBC is not a homogeneous class and it is difficult to treat all the categories equally.<br /><br />Terming the merit theory as a myth, Moily said reservation is neither an act of sympathy nor a supportive aid. <br /><br />“It’s all about ensuring opportunities to the people deprived of it for centuries,” he reasoned. <br /></p>
<p>“While the BJP is making all-out efforts to discredit the Lokayukta in Karnataka, its central leaders have been clamouring for a Lokpal Bill. It’s a stark dichotomy,” Moily said while speaking to reporters here on Saturday.<br /><br />Moily, a former chief minister of the State, said the Lokayukta institution held a ray of hope to people to fight against graft at a time when Karnataka had earned the dubious distinction of being the “most corrupt” State in the country. <br /><br />He criticised the statement of BJP State unit president K S Eshwarappa questioning the utility of the Lokayukta.<br /><br />Supporting the decision of Governor H R Bhardwaj to reject the name of former Kerala High Court Chief Justice S R Bannurmath as Lokayukta, Moily said it was not “prudent” on the part of the State government to insist on its choice.<br /><br />“It is not a prudent step by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda that the Governor accept his government’s recommendation for appointing Bannurmuth as Lokayukta. <br /><br />There are several eligible retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts who can be appointed to the post. The policy of naming people of a particular community for the post is unacceptable” he said. <br /><br />The institution of Lokayukta in Karnataka has earned a good name across the country. All the people who occupied the post have struggled to root out the scourge of corruption, Moily added. <br /><br />He noted that attempts were now being made at the government level to destabilise the institution. <br /><br />He urged members of Team Anna fighting for Lokpal Bill to mount a campaign to ensure that Lokayukta institution was not disbanded. <br /><br />‘OBC not homogeneous’<br /><br />Earlier, speaking after inaugurating the L G Havanur Endowment Lecture, Moily suggested that the Other Backward Class (OBC) be split into two categories - most backward class and backward classes. He opined that OBC is not a homogeneous class and it is difficult to treat all the categories equally.<br /><br />Terming the merit theory as a myth, Moily said reservation is neither an act of sympathy nor a supportive aid. <br /><br />“It’s all about ensuring opportunities to the people deprived of it for centuries,” he reasoned. <br /></p>