Former Lokayukta Justice N. Santosh Hegde says society respects only wealth and political power
Mysuru; Former Karnataka Lokayukta and retired Supreme Court Judge Justice N. Santosh Hegde regretted that in today’s electoral scenario, issues pertaining to religion and language are whipped up to seek votes despite explicit guidelines in the Constitution and inspite of many rulings of the Supreme Court.
Participating at the Meet-the-Press organised by Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) at Patrakarthara Bhavan this morning, Justice Hegde, one of the most respected personalities in India, said that emotive issues like religion and language are being used as trump cards to seek votes.
“No one is speaking about development or welfare. They want to grab power by hook or crook and all political parties are the same,” he said.
“One of the most dangerous things for conflict today is religion. In that background, there should be some effort from somebody or other to bring about peaceful coexistence, respecting each religion,” he added. He cautioned that if one goes by religion and language, the country will be destroyed and unfortunately, the four pillars of democracy — Legislature, Executive, Judiciary and the Media — are in the hands of greedy people.
“A society that worships the powerful has been created. We are hearing of a series of scams throughout the country since 1947. No political leader is bothered to cleanse the system. Instead, they are resorting to blame-game and grab power,” he added.
Celebrating wealth, power
“Society seems to celebrate the wealthy and the powerful without giving much thought about the ways and means
employed by them to achieve such wealth and power. This unabashed celebration of wealth and power is the primary reason for changing values and this attitude has to change,” he opined.
“Earlier, people never visited a person who has been to jail, but now the accused are being welcomed in a grand manner and are offered posts like Chief Ministers and they get powerful portfolios. How is it possible for the corrupt to develop a State when there is a whole group of looters in the Government. Only allegations galore without a word being spoken about public welfare,” he regretted.
On the Executive, he explained how subordination of the executive to the Cabinet ensured its subservience. He quoted instances where Ministers and MLAs demanded officers of their choice in their Constituencies. “This affinity is seriously jeopardising the effective running of the institution of democracy,” former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde added.
Importance of probity
On the Media, he underscored the importance of probity in today’s media lest it has a disastrous effect on the functioning of democracy. “Today, media unfortunately, publicises just allegations made by one political party against the other. Media, at times, acts as a puppet at the hands of guilty politicians where even the most corrupt paint themselves as the most honest leaders,” he said.
“There is a growth of corruption in India. We are also losing humanism. Without these two things, it is not possible to bring about any change in society. So I go to educational institutions to talk to the youths so that they can change society. I have already visited 1,600 Schools. Today, we are in a society that respects money and power, nothing else. Honesty has no place in it. I have seen with my own eyes people go to jail; when they come out, people garland them,” he said.
Mining report buried
“I gave the mining report. I named three Chief Ministers of a political party and nine Ministers. More than 700 Officers were involved in it. Look at the amount of cheating that was going on. The Lokayukta has filed charge-sheets but no action was taken. Parties just want to win, it doesn’t matter how. Even the electorate follows this — either they get bribed or vote along caste and community lines,” he said.
On the conflict between the Legislature and the Supreme Court Collegium, Justice Hegde said, “We are seeing the legislative authority trying to become the supreme power. The Government is seeking to influence the judiciary, which is unconstitutional. Collegium is an independent system and there is no political interference. These people want to bring their stooges into the judicial system,” he said.
MDJA President S.T. Ravikumar (RK), General Secretary M. Subramanya, City Secretary P. Rangaswamy, Rural Vice-President Dharmapura Narayan and others were present.
People are corrupt and they want short cut to everything, hence bribe to get what they want. No wonder when givers are there, receivers naturally appears. When you are stopped by traffic police, u bribe them rather than being good citizen and not make mistakes. That mistake is a shortcut to get where u want to go urgently. You bribe sub registrar to save money on house registration, short cut to save some money. You bribe clerk at corporation to get death or birth certificate ASAP.
People need to change, get out of their comfort zone, take risk and elect new people. Look at Delhi experiment. I don’t say they are good, but Karnataka people should show who is the boss to major parties by electing candidates other than major parties.
Hey @swamy
People means that includes you too. Indian society and institutions are corrupt, hence the bribes are demanded by officials. That simple.
I remember you saying, you visited Europe and the rood side restaurants are as filthy as the Indira canteen in Mysore, when In complained about the filthy Indira canteen. Where did you get the considerable sum of Euro needed to visit, given the very poor Euro and INR exchange rate? There is only one way you could have got that money. Guess what that way was!
Hey @swamy
People means that includes you too. Indian society and institutions are corrupt, hence the bribes are demanded by officials. That simple.
I remember you saying, you visited Europe and the rood side restaurants are as filthy as the Indira canteen in Mysore, when In complained about the filthy Indira canteen. Where did you get the considerable sum of Euro needed to visit, given the very poor Euro and INR exchange rate? There is only one way you could have got that money. Guess what that way was!
This Idiot Hege says: India has become a society which worships wealth and power, after 1947. This fool does not know history. India had emperors like Mughals and Maharajas like Wadiyars who were wealthy and powerful and hence were worshipped.
He is so dim witted, not to realise that in every country in the world, wealthy became powerful and hence were worshipped. Just look at the Kennedy dynasty in the USA for example, for generations they have been powerful, even today.
Justice Hegde being what he is has only explained to the common man not to worship the powerful and wealthy without knowing how they came to get there. Your quoting history to justify how people worship is out of place. The Wadiyars and Mughals were just kings and they are respected for their legacy even to this day. The palaces and monuments built by them are earning enormously for the nation and their respect has just increased not decreased for who they were. Comparing them with the present political system is out of place. It is true we as a nation have a long way to go to match the cleanliness of many other improved countries. We have to at least match their good work with our corrupt and chalta hai kind of lifestyle and improve upon what we have. Let us respect others when we talk to them in public, and this is the first prerogative of being ourself respectful.
Hey Zaheer
Talk about respect. Look at how you Muslims react, even beheading some one, who said, correctly with historical fact that your Prophet married a young girl.
When Hindus, Christians and Jews can sketch their Gods/holy men, why can’t you disrespectful and vengeful scoundrels, the Muslims, react , when the image of your Proohet is sketched in the class along with the images of prophets of other religions.
You as a Muslim, who believe in meeting 72 virgins, when you blow yourself up, killing innocents, has the temerity to talk about respect.
You should be ashamed.
As for Mughals, if they were chased out of India, we never would be suffering these wicked crowd called Muslims.