Citizens to protest against corruption from July 25

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Freedom Park is all set to witness a fresh movement of citizens against corruption. Following a protest by Team Anna in New Delhi, members of the NGO India Against Corruption, state unit, are ready to go on an indefinite fast from July 25.

They will continue the protest till the government agrees to their demand of setting up a Special Investigation Team to probe and report allegations of corruption against 15 ministers within six months, handing over of pending cases against all corrupt party leaders to the SIT and setting up of Fast Track Courts to clear cases against 162 Lok Sabha members within six months.

“We’ve concluded that the Lokpal Bill has not become a reality because 162 MPs have pending criminal cases according to their affidavits filed before the Election Commission and 14 Union ministers have pending cases. No party is willing to pass a strong and effective anti-corruption law because it will destroy them.

"We’ve come out with these specific demands which will pave way for an effective Lokpal. We’ve to take to the streets to demonstrate citizens’ frustration with a system that shows no intention of fixing the biggest problem our nation faces today,” said Mr Prithvi Reddy, state coordinator for IAC.

“Parliament adopted a ‘Sense of the House' on August 27, 2011. Three Parliament sessions have gone past, but there is no Lokpal Bill,” he said.

Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde said, “It is only with the collective strength of citizens that we can hope to have a change.”

Mr H.S. Doreswamy, 94-year-old freedom fighter, said: “A second Freedom Movement is the need of the hour. It’s the duty of every citizen to protect the Constitution, the laws and institutions.”

State not for a Lokayukta: Hegde

On the delay in appointing a Lokayukta in Karnataka and reacting to a query whether he would be appointed again, Justice Santosh Hegde said: “There are a few technical problems in me assuming the Lokayukta office again. Moreover, finding a candidate for the post has never been the real issue. I can suggest a hundred names. The real issue is that the government does not want a Lokayukta. The excuse of not being able to find a candidate is baseless.”