Will support Anna till demands are met: Hegde

PTI

New Delhi, 21 August 2011: Contending that corruption can no longer be ignored and the voice of ’aam-aadmi’ should now be heard, former Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde on Sunday expressed confidence that public support for Anna Hazare and his campaign would continue until his demands are met by the government.

 

Hegde, also a member of the Lokpal Joint Drafting Committee, said Anna is not asking for the chair of Prime Minister or President but is only fighting against corruption and the need for a strong legislation to deal with the menace.

 

"We are confident that we will all stand behind Annaji and his cause for any number of days. We stand by him until his demands are met," the former Supreme Court judge told the large gathering at Ramlila Maidan, the venue of Anna’s indefinite on Lokpal issue.

 

"Our leaders keep talking about people of the country being supreme. But in reality they have become supreme rather than the people. Public servants have become supreme.... Real independence has not reached the ’aam aadmi’. His voice must be heard," he said.

 

 

Observing that corruption is one of the burning issues, he said, "Annaji doesn’t want the chair of Prime Minister or the chair of President. He is just fighting for the cause of (eradicating) corruption. Can anybody say there is no corruption in the country or can anybody say it can be ignored?" he asked.

 

Hegde said the country has been waiting for a Lokpal for the past 42 years when the first bill on Lokpal was introduced in Parliament as no government could get the measure passed. He said there are many scams other than 2G scam that have not come to light yet. "The CAG has recently released a report on KG basin. God knows how many zeros will be there in that scam," he said.

 

Hegde said around 35 people have launched an indefinite fast in Bangalore to express solidarity with the Gandhian. "Day by day, the number of people coming to the fast site in support of them are increasing by thousands. Yesterday there were at least 25,000 people at the candle light march at Freedom Park," he claimed.

 

He said there is no ’visible’ development in rural parts of the country where many villages lack electricity and primary health centres. "I thought I would spend my days at home after retirement. But after Annaji’s call for fight against corruption, I am still working at the age of 72," he said. "The consequences may be severe. How much time it takes we should stand behind Annaji," he told the gathering.