Ahmedabad: Former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde on Thursday said it is wrong to say that Anna Hazare and his team are pressurising the Parliament and behaving in a dictatorial manner over the Lokpal issue.
"I don't think that anybody can pressurise (Parliament). I only think that this type of statements (from political parties) are coming out of pressure, because everybody is angry," Hedge, himself a Team Anna member, told reporters.
Hegde, who was here to address the Jayprakash Narayan Memorial lecture, said this while replying to a query.
"I am sure Anna knows that ultimately it is Parliament which can pass a law and if it is not passed, we can go on a strike or go to court," he said, adding that it was wrong to say that Anna or his supporters were "dictators".
"Look at the arrogance of those elected to Parliament... They are saying that, we, the unelected people, are trying to dictate terms to Parliament. They are actually representatives of the people and the Constitution has said that citizens are the ultimate office in a democracy," Hegde had earlier said in his lecture.
Replying to a question on the CBI's inclusion under the Lokpal, Hegde said, "Hundred per cent, that wing of CBI, which is doing anti-corruption work, must be included under the Lokpal. If all the investigations under the Anti-Corruption Act is handed over to the Lokpal, then that wing of CBI will become redundant, that is of no use then. CBI can do many other works."
To a query on the expansion of Team Anna, he said, "In my personal opinion, the core team of Anna Hazare should be expanded. It should be a cohesive group representing all the regions and minorities."
When asked to comment on the allegations that Anna is biased towards Sangh Parivar, Hegde said, "I have not found Anna having any political affiliations. That is the reason, I am associated with the Anna movement."
"There is no difference between Anna and me. He is my leader," Hegde said in reply to a question on reports that he had not attended the core committee meeting of Team Anna held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
"I had already told that I had engagements in Gujarat on these two days and that was the reason I could not be present in the meeting. I have also told them that I am taking Anna's message to the people of Gujarat," Hegde said.
Hegde said, "Corruption has been there since the beginning of civilisation, nobody can eliminate it, but we have to contain it".
"I am asked, has my report ended corruption in Karnataka, to which, I have said 'No'. But it will certainly help contain corruption," the former Karnataka Lokayukta said.
Hegde said he cannot take up the post of the Lokayukta there again, as suggested by Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj.
"I heard the Governor saying that if Karnataka state government appoints me as Lokayukta, he will accept it. But I have conveyed that I cannot take up the post again," Hegde said.
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