<p class="rtejustify">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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Krishna was speaking at a programme “Strengthen Lokayukta’’, organised by the Lancha Mukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">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).</p>.<p class="rtejustify">“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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">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.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag rtejustify"><strong>‘Strengthen Lokayukta’</strong></p>.<p class="rtejustify">“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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Later in the day, a delegation met Kumaraswamy and submitted a memorandum.</p>
<p class="rtejustify">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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Krishna was speaking at a programme “Strengthen Lokayukta’’, organised by the Lancha Mukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">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).</p>.<p class="rtejustify">“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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">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.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag rtejustify"><strong>‘Strengthen Lokayukta’</strong></p>.<p class="rtejustify">“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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">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.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">Later in the day, a delegation met Kumaraswamy and submitted a memorandum.</p>