Sharp differences have emerged in the Karnataka Congress over the creation of an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) as a section of the leaders have questioned why the party was not consulted and accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of taking a “unilateral decision”.
Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister SM Krishna openly questioned the decision of Chief Minister to form ACB and said it would weaken the lokayukta institution. Krishna termed it a ‘bad development’ and said the Karnataka lokayukta is a model institution which earned good reputation under some able lokayuktas. “The decision is certainly not in the state’s interest,” he added.
Another senior Congress leader and former Union Minister B Janardhan Poojary dubbed the Government’s move illegal and demanded that it be revoked immediately. He said “It will definitely send a wrong message and damage the party’s reputation.”
BK Hariprasad, a senior leader, also criticised the Government decision to create ACB. He said “Instead of giving more powers to the lokayukta to crackdown corruption, the Government has diluted its powers by creating the ACB.”
A senior Congress leader told The Pioneer Congress High command is not happy with the decision of Siddaramaiah to create ACB at this juncture paving way for the Opposition to attack the party. It is also learnt that many leaders have complained to Karnataka Congress in-charge Digvijay Singh on the issue.
The Opposition parties — both BJP and the JDs — have started spitting fire and would raise the issue in the ongoing Budget Session of the Assembly. BJP leader Jagadish Shettar came down heavily on the Government and criticised the intention of the Government to create the ACB on the floor of the House. The civil society finds this as a decision to weaken the lokayukta institution. Siddaramaiah has come under fire for not consulting the party to form ACB in a hurry. It is learnt Chief Minister has to make a trip to Delhi after the Budget Session to explain to the party high command.
It is learnt that the office-bearers’ meeting of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee held last week too had expressed reservations on the ACB. Some of the office-bearers had questioned the necessity of the ACB in the current circumstances when the lokayukta itself was embroiled in controversy over the alleged extortion of money. However, Digvijaya Singh, AICC general secretary in-charge of the party’s affairs in Karnataka, said he was not aware of the issue.
However Siddaramaiah strongly defended the creation of ACB and said it would not dilute the powers of lokayukta. He also said there was no question of going back on this.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister and MP M Veerappa Moily said the ACB would reduce the burden on the lokayukta and both institutions would complement each other.
Justice Santosh Hegde, who was the head of lokayukta when the institution was at its peak, said, “I have no doubt this executive move is meant to destabilise lokayukta and remove its powers so they can be saved from their illegal activities.”
Former law Minister BJP’s Suresh Kumar said, “It is very unfortunate that Siddaramaiah, who was an important person in the Government of Ramakrishna Hegde, which came out with this historic legislation creating lokayukta, is the one causing the end of lokayukta.”