Former Lokayukta backs Kejriwal

Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde on Friday backed activist Arvind Kejriwal for exposing the corrupt practices of influential persons.

“In my view, Kejriwal is on the right track,” Justice Hegde said at the National Press Day organised by Karnataka Madhyama Academy in association with Information Department and Bharatiya Vidyabhavan.

He said Kejriwal has so far exposed four corruption cases and a section of people are advising the activist to expose all the cases at one go and to take it to its logical end.

“If a person is suffering from multiple disease, doctor will not give medicine for one disease at a time, but treats all diseases. It is a well-known factor that if one approaches court, it will take at least 10 to 12 years to dispose. People are suggesting Kejriwal to take up the matter in courts only with the intention of delaying further. I will not support such intentions,” he said.

Hegde said media has contributed a lot to democracy. However, in the present context even media is also riddled with corruption. “Media has to correct its own mistakes. Outsiders should not interfere. If this happens, media freedom will be lost,” he said.

There is Legislative and Executive to protect democracy. But both are doing jobs other than this. “Media should play an important role at this juncture,” he added.