Jan Lokpal Bill will make RTI Act more effective: Hegde

Former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde speaks to RTI activists in city, calls August 28 nation's second Independence Day

"This is a new awakening for us all and we shall celebrate August 28 as the second Independence Day and as a beginning step towards getting rid of corruption in our country," said Santosh Hegde, former Karnataka Lokayukta and Supreme Court judge.u00a0


Words of wisdom: Santosh Hegde at Nehru Memorial Hall. Pic/Vivek
Sabnis

In the city to deliver a speech organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Pune, Hegde said August 28 had given an insight that the fight to get liberated from corruption, which has become an integral part of our system.

"Hazare has given us the realisation," he said. Hegde said filing an RTI would be more effective and meaningful if Jan Lokpal bill can be enforced 100 per cent. "This will give an additional strength to the RTI activists all over India. Jan Lokpal bill is a second revolution after the RTI movement," he said.

Reacting on Hegde's appeal, Anoop Awasthi, ex-Navy Punekar and an RTI activist from Hadapsar, said Hegde's speech was encouraging. "We are happy to get the moral support from Jan Lokpal bill, where whistle blowers would get police protection," he said.

Over 60 RTI activists attended Justice Hegde's lecture. Others were Santosh Mishra, Baldev Singh, Aniket Deshmukh, Bhavesh Bhat and Vijay Varudkar. Varudkar said the Jan Lokpal bill would give real socio-political freedom to vote and also to bring back an elected representative.
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One wife, one house
Replying to the allegation made by H D Kumaraswami on Hegde's alleged lavish lifestyle, Hegde sarcastically said that he had only one wife and house. "I go straight to my office and come back. I have not visited any five-star hotels. Kumaraswamy appears to be unhappy with me because of the fact that his name has been mentioned in the illegal mining report," Hegde said.

'PM is dharmaraj'
According to Hegde, PM Dr Manmohan Singh is like the Dharmaraj in Mahabharata who is not corrupt but surrounded by people who are corrupt. He (PM) is helpless like Dharmaraj who is not able to save Draupadi -- a metaphor for democracyu00a0-- from the corrupt Kauravas.