Samaj Parivartan Samudaya founder-president S.R. Hiremath has urged the new government in the State, headed by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, to file an affidavit in the High Court of Karnataka favouring scrapping the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Hiremath said that while hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by the samudaya and others questioning the formation of the ACB in Bengaluru on Monday, a Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice B.M. Shyamprasad directed the new State government to file an affidavit stating its stand in the matter.
“The samudaya will welcome this move and urges Mr. Kumaraswamy to direct the government officials concerned to file the affidavit stating that the ACB can be scrapped. The erstwhile Congress government created the ACB with the sole intention of weakening the Lokayukta,” he said.
Quoting from a pre-poll advertisement of the Janata Dal(S), Mr. Hiremath said that the Janata Dal(S) has made a pre-poll assurance on taking steps to strengthen the Lokayukta and scrap the ACB.
“Now, it is an occasion for Mr. Kumaraswamy and the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda to keep their words and see that the ACB is scrapped. It is a moment of litmus test and Mr. Deve Gowda and Mr. Kumaraswamy should not back track from their promise for any reason, especially giving the excuse that their party did not have majority in the House. It is true that Mr. Kumaraswamy is heading a coalition government with the Congress but he should make it clear whether he is concerned about public good or is interested in only safeguarding his position,” he said.
Meeting
The samudaya would convene a two-day meeting in Bengaluru from June 25 to assess the path tread by the Janandolanagala Mahamaitri in the last two years. Various issues would be deliberated at length in the backdrop of the results of recently concluded Assembly elections.
The meeting, which would be attended by like-mined people from various quarters, would also deliberate on the future course of action to strengthen the democracy and finalise an action plan, Mr. Hiremath said.
