Former Lokayukta Justice N. Santosh Hegde asks students to focus on studies, career

Mysuru/Mysore:  Even as anti-CAA protests continue to rage across the country with students getting involved, former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has urged the students to focus on studies rather than getting involved in issues that do not concern them.

He was speaking at a special lecture and interaction on the topic ‘Declining social values and its effects,’ organised as part of National Youth day marking Swami Vivekananda Jayanti at Maharaja’s College Centenary Hall here yesterday.

Alleging that politicians are encouraging students to get involved in anti-CAA Protests, Justice Hegde decried the tendency  among politicians to engage students in street protests. Telling students that there was still a lot of time for them to get involved in issues concerning the nation,he cautioned the students not to fall prey to provocation and instead focus on getting their degrees and pursuing higher studies. Advising the students to fight for issues concerning academics and facilities,Justice Hegde reminded them that they are the future of the country and as such they should realise their responsibilities.

Bemoaning that politics has become a profession now, Justice Hegde, who retired in 2011, said that he could not be blamed by anyone as he remained honest throughout his career. Noting that he has named three Chief Ministers, eight ministers , over 150 officials and more than 100 companies in different corruption cases, he said that he fought against corruption in his own terms in an effort to build a society with values. Asserting that our country is not limited to any religion or language,he argued that any change in the country should come through peaceful means and not through revolt or revolution.

Referring to the reservation controversy, Justice Hegde said that reservation should indeed be given to the needy. Pointing out that Dr.B.R. Ambedkar provided a 10-year reservation for the oppressed and weaker sections of the society, the former Lokayukta said that although the reservation ended in 1960, it has been continued as its purpose has not yet been realised. 

Replying to a question by one of the students as to who really deserves reservation, Justice Hegde said that providing reservation to bureaucrats and their families who have already availed the benefits of reservation, has deprived the more deserving sections of these opportunities and thus created an injustice.

Regretting that the society is not questioning  this injustice, Justice Hegde opined that the society cannot be transformed if there is a sense of fear and he also expressed disappointment that the society has failed to question the enormous increase in poll expenditure, election after election.

Have given Rs.1 crore to Ex-servicemen

Asserting that he has not amassed wealth,Justice Santosh Hegde claimed that he has given away the cash prizes associated with the awards that he got,to philanthropic deeds. Maintaining that he has remained honest throughout his public life,he said that he donated Rs.1 crore he received as cash prize from S.R. Jindal Foundation to the Ex-Servicemen fund. He further said that he donated Rs.51,000 cash prize given by All India Management Association to Jayadeva Cardiology Hospital in Bengaluru; Rs.51,000 given by Adichunchanagiri Mutt to the hospital run by the Mutt and Rs.2.5 lakh Nani Palkhiwala prize to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. He also said that he only owns one apartment in which he and his wife reside and there are no other properties either in his name or his wife’s name.