Lokpal can’t wipe out corruption completely: Hegde

Last Updated: Monday, November 14, 2011, 19:38

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Tags: Lokpal, Corruption, Santosh Hegde

Bhubaneswar: Asserting that the Lokpal cannot completely wipe out corruption which is as old as the civilisation itself, Team Anna member Justice N Santosh Hegde on Tuesday said that if the menace could be contained up to 60-70 per cent, "we would be very strong".

"Let me be very frank. You can't eradicate corruption. Corruption is not born yesterday, last year, last century... Corruption was born with the birth of civilisation itself. Go through any scripture you will know corruption was there," he told a local television channel here.

Hegde said, an institution like Lokpal could be created which could curb the growth of corruption and clean corruption to a certain extent. "Suppose, we are able to contain it up to 60 to 70 (per cent), I think economically, we would be very strong."

The moot question, whether one Lokpal can abolish corruption or contain corruption, is an argument of cynicism.

"Even if we have a strong door, robbery can still take place. Does it mean we will have no door at all," he asked.

"An institution which is there to fight corruption will certainly create fear among the people who are not yet corrupt but likely to become corrupt," Hegde said.

If available institutions brought the culprits to book and judicial institutions immediately held trial and punished, it would work wonders.

"Both these systems will bring the corruption down by at least 50 per cent. Fifty per cent is a huge amount," he said.

Replying to a question on the government assurance that a strong Lokpal Bill would be brought in Parliament, Hegde said people wanted a Jan Lokpal but the question remained to be seen how far it was going to be effective.

"One thing was certain that for 44 years they did not bring a Lokpal Bill and did not create a Lokpal institution.

Now, that will come and that institution will be built," he said.

"People want this. Otherwise, there will be a revolution in the country," Hegde added.

However, Hegde said, he did not think the government would bring a strong Lokpal Bill. "Against whom they will operate? Bill is against them, the Parliament members, the ministers, the bureaucrats... It will not be against you, me.

You get to understand now, when somebody is going to make it (the Bill) tight, then how tight it will be," he said in a lighter vein.

On suggestions by Congress leaders that Lokpal would be a constitutional body, Hegde said though it was a good idea, "it is absolutely unnecessary".

"If you want a constitutional body, you have to get two-third majority in Parliament which nobody as of today has," he said.

Hegde also did not see any wrong in formulation of a law to right to recall or reject a member in the elections.

Allaying apprehensions that India would disintegrate if such type of a law was formulated, the former Karnataka Lokyakta asked yesterday, "why India will disintegrate? Merely because you have right to recall a candidate?"

The chief election commissioners (CEC) himself had said there were countries which have law to recall. "Why is it not feasible in India?", Hegde asked.

PTI

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First Published: Monday, November 14, 2011, 19:38

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R S KRISHNAN - BANGALORE
MY COMMENTS Take it for granted. As long as old customs & traditions, superstitions exist, corruption cannot be removed at all. No one would like to waste his hard earned money on others. But they cannot escape from performing religious rites & other celebrations. So they have to make more money for such needs. Indians basically are lazy and look for easy money and getting things done without least effort. They are self centered, most selfish to the core, egoistic, have false prestige, show off to be wealthy, hero worshippers, talent un-recognisers and what not. Insecurity and avariciousness makes Indians misers and hoarders. Unfortunately No one is trustworthy. We have to blame our government style of working for this. They are like fence eating the field. Even matters like getting a school admission form, higher education, free or paid scholarships, birth/death certificate, burnt ashes at the crematorium, travel reservation, campus ion for jobs, getting a government job including defence, medical aid, police aid, court matters/justice, allotment of a site or house or anything even if one is eligible is not easily accessible in this wretched nation. They are fit to be ruled and never as rulers. Better handover the country to a hard working & honest nation like Japan before it is too late.

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R S KRISHNAN - BANGALORE
Take it for granted. As long as old customs & traditions exist, corruption cannot be removed at all. No one would like to waste his hard earned money on others. But they cannot escape from performing religious rites & other celebrations. So they have to make more money for such needs. Indians basically are lazy and look for easy money and getting things done without least effort. They are self centered, most selfish to the core, egoistic, have false prestige, show off to be wealthy, hero worshippers, talent un-recognisers and what not. Insecurity and avariciousness makes Indians misers and hoarders. They are fit to be ruled and never as rulers. Better handover the country to hard working nation like Japan before it is too late.