S.R. Hiremath, founder, National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources, on Monday called upon people to take charge of democracy and ensure that corrupt ministers, MLAs and other elected representatives step down from their position of power.
Speaking on ‘Big projects – corruption and true nationalism’ here on Monday, he said that elected representatives should discharge their duties as per law. If they were found violating the law and acquiring unaccounted property, the people should make them leave their position of power and face a legal trial. “It’s not an easy task but a worthwhile exercise,” he said.
Referring to the recent notification of the State government on forming the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Mr. Hiremath said that this was nothing but removing an effective anti-corruption ombudsman in the form of the Lokayukta. The State government did not have the power to remove the Lokayukta from investigating corruption cases. “We should not wait for two more years to make our opinion known. We need to fight, go to the judiciary against the action of the government,” he said.
He said the Union and the State governments should come out with separate land use policies. Economic and social ‘swaraj’ alone could save the earth and make everybody live happily, he added.
The talk was organised by the Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development.
