BENGALURU: Former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde said if one is content, he will never worry about the Income Tax or Directorate of Enforcement raids, taking a dig at the recent raids by these agencies.
He was speaking at the ‘Bengaluru Eid Get-Together’ event organised by Student Islamic Organisation on Sunday. “The Lokayukta report on illegal mining had named three CMs and indicted them for corruption. One of them was nominated as the CM candidate. We still accept such things and we also pay the bribe to get our work done. What does this show? Even society has to be blamed for the situation we are facing,”
Hegde said. “I was a frog in the well before I was Lokayukta. I thought everyone’s life was good because my life was good. Later, I realised hardships people face for basic needs. When huge cuts are taken away from amount released for the welfare of people and developmental works, how can a country progress?” he asked.
Dr Javed Jamil, Deputy Director and Head of Islamic Studies and Research in Yenopoya University, said communalism was a product of political fundamentalism. “While top leaders of the BJP government at the Centre are pleasing the corporate sector, the second rung of leadership in the party is hanging on to communal issues. Political parties should understand that religious morality is more important than religious identity.”
Akbar Ali, member of Zonal Advisory Committee of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Karnataka and Mohammed Rafeeq, president of SIO Karnataka also spoke.