Bangalore: Sympathetic Bangaloreans have urged Justice N. Santhosh Hegde not to leave10 member panel formed to draft a Jan Lokpal Bill, following Congress secretary Digvijay Singh’s smear campaign on him.
They carried placards in a in a procession of 100 persons, including senior citizens, and met him at his Sadashiva Nagar residence on Friday to express their solidarity with him on the drafting committee as a civil society representative and Lokayukta.
Hegde told them that he had made no decision but would consult other 4 members on the panel, yet he was hurt by D.Singh’s attacks on him. Former top cop Kiran Bedi also did not want any member to leave the panel of 5 from civic society, when the drafting begins.
A former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijay Singh, who is a general secretary of AICC had questioned Hegde on his achievements to curb corruption in Karnataka, just when action was being taken to ban 10 companies from illegal mining in the state by BJP CM.
Later in a quick movement on Thursday night, D.Singh expressed his regret to Justice Hegde over his earlier strong remarks, the same day. Singh agreed that he held Hegde in high esteem. Sonia had told Congressmen not to smear campaigns.
D.Singh in his explanation, referred to CM Yeddyurappa and his ministers, the Bellary Reddys, practising unabated corruption in the (Karnataka) state, when the Lok Ayukta Act there was the most effective in the country and the office was held by a powerful judge like Justice N.Santhosh Hegde. Some damage control that, by AICC office-bearers who slip up often.