Justice N Santosh Hegde, till this week the lok ayukta of Karnataka, a former Supreme Court judge and the son of the famous late Justice K S Hegde, who resigned from the Supreme Court of India in protest against his supersession by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, contributing to events that culminated in her imposition of national Emergency, has spoken for millions of concerned citizens across the country by quitting his post. The immediate provocation for Justice Hegde’s resignation was his grievance that the state government of Karnataka had devalued the institution of lok ayukta and was not cooperating with him and the institution in its work to root out corruption in the state. Media reports suggest that Justice Hegde was particularly concerned about the growing influence of what has been dubbed the “mining mafia” in the state. Neither is Karnataka unique in this regard nor are Justice Hegde’s complaints unique to the mining sector alone. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has himself decried the growing power of what he has often called “crony capitalism” — the nexus between business and politics. Politicians in office are powerful and businessmen with billions are powerful too. But when the two become one, as has happened with the mining mafia in many states, there is a dangerous compounding of power and a dangerous threat to democratic institutions and good governance. Justice Hedge’s resignation is a wake-up call to all those honest officials and politicians in government who remain in seats of power and turn a blind eye to the mounting corruption of Himalayan proportions.
Justice Hegde’s frustrations are understandable. Recall the tears of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa when he was pushed to the corner by powerful mining interests? In almost every state involving almost all political parties, and even at the Centre, the politics-business nexus and the tentacles of crony capitalism are eating into the vitals of democratic governance. When honest officials seek redressal from the tyranny of one set of corrupt politicians, they often knock at the doors of another set of the corrupt and powerful. Justice Hegde may be in that situation reaching out to those who themselves have skeletons to hide. Yet, he must give voice to his woes. When his late father resigned from the bench, he told his fellow judges that it was better to go than be humiliated. The younger Mr Hedge was clearly inspired by the father. The irony is that while the late Justice K S Hedge was humiliated by a Congress party government, his son has been humiliated by a Bharatiya Janata Party government. India needs a national consensus at least among major national political parties on good governance and the fight against corruption.