Activists urge CM to abolish ACB

Former Assembly Speaker ‘K R Pete’ Krishna on Thursday said that the state government’s stand on Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was in contrast to the election promise made by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Krishna was speaking at a programme “Strengthen Lokayukta’’, organised by the Lancha Mukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike.

He said the Siddaramaiah government had passed a controversial notification by detaching Prevention of Corruption Act from the Lokayukta and had created the ACB under the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR).

“Last time when he was the chief minister (2005-06), I had asked Kumaraswamy to give more powers to the Lokayukta institution. He said he would do it, but after some time said that the officials were resisting such a move. The officials naturally resist such an amendment. Now, Kumaraswamy is the chief minister again. However, he (Kumaraswamy) looks to be a different person now,’’ Krishna said.

Besides 100 per cent loan waiver of farmers, the JD(S) manifesto had also promised empowerment of the Lokayukta and also, abolition of the ACB, he said.

‘Strengthen Lokayukta’

“If you strengthen the Lokayukta today, you will be remembered for a long time for the historical decision. If not, you will be like the previous chief ministers, who all through, supported corruption,’’ Krishna called upon the chief minister.

The speakers at the programme, including freedom fighter H S Doreswamy, former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde, former DGP R Srikumar, social activist S R Hiremath and others, signed a petition with a list of measures to strengthen the Lokayukta institution.

Later in the day, a delegation met Kumaraswamy and submitted a memorandum.