BELGAUM: Well-known ‘Narmada Bachao’ activist Medha Patkar rejected the Karnataka government’s prestigious ‘Basava Puraskar’ award.
Speaking at a function organised at GSS College here recently, she said that she will not accept the Basava Puraskar as the Karnataka government totally failed to control corruption and was also involved in several scams.
“I have great respect for Basavanna, on whose name the award is established. But the Karnataka government is not ready to take any action against corrupt,” she said. Patkar said that the Kannada and Culture Department has sent a letter to her requesting to accept the award which carries `10 lakh cash and a citation. Patkar said, “How can I receive the award instituted by a government which has failed to control corruption and which is encouraging privatisation,” she questioned.