BANGALORE: Even as the second report on mining by Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde is expected around July 25, the latter's disclosure that some influential BJP leaders tried to influence him on the report has put the state government in a bind.
On Saturday, an embarrassed BJP spokeperson C T Ravi queried on the matter after the party's state executive committee meeting in Hubli said: "Why is the Lokayukta reacting now?"
Speaking to STOI on Saturday, Justice Hegde said: "Nobody can afford to buy me." According to him, Karnataka's special representative in New Delhi V Dhananjay Kumar, Third Finance Commission Recommendations Implementation Task Force chairman A G Kudagi and a senior minister had come to invite him for a function in Udupi some months ago. Later, Dhananjay Kumar is said to have spread the word around that Justice Hegde had been "fixed and adjusted" on the mining report.
Justice Hegde said Dhananjay Kumar tried to contact him after that, but he did not entertain him.
OPPOSITION REACTS
Efforts to influence the Lokayukta against indicting CM B S Yeddyurappa in the mining report is unacceptable. The CM and his colleagues -- higher education minister V S Acharya, BJP state spokesperson V Dhananjay Kumar and state Third Finance Commission Recommendations Implementation Task Force chairman A G Kudagi -- should resign immediately. We will explore the legal possibilities on the issue. The Lokayukta should have spoken about this earlier. He should take action against the CM.
G Parameshwara | KPCC president
This is scary. How can anyone try to influence a great democratic institution? The true colour of the BJP and the CM has been exposed. They have stooped this low to protect themselves.
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