“I Had To Tell Kejriwal That, In Hisar, We Had Jumped The Gun”

Justice Santosh Hegde, who stepped down as the Karnataka Lokayukta in August and joined the India Against Corruption movement, has not exactly disassociated himself from Team Anna, but appears sufficiently disturbed by his colleagues’ move to oppose the Congress party candidate in the Hisar bypolls in Haryana. Speaking to Sugata Srinivasaraju, he expresses anguish about how people, who so far thought of Anna Hazare’s crusade as an ‘apolitical’ movement, may perceive it from now on. Excerpts:

Have you developed differences with Anna Hazare and his team?

There is no difference of opinion. I have accepted Anna’s movement against corruption, but that does not mean I’ll support everything that is said and done by other members of the team.

Does it mean you are uncomfortable with your colleagues’ acts in Hisar?

Yes. I am an apolitical person and I believe the movement too is, and should be, apolitical. Even before Parliament could debate the Lokpal Bill, they have gone to Hisar and campaigned against the Congress. I don’t think it was the right thing to do. It’s not just the Congress which has corrupt people, other parties do as well. I don’t know much about the Congress candidate, but Kuldeep Bishnoi’s notoriety is well known. Similarly, Ajay Chautala is not above board. How then can we ask people to vote against the Congress? Even as I say this, let me be clear, I’m not pro-Congress. If Anna and the other team members felt compelled to intervene in the electoral process in Hisar, they could have just asked the people to choose the best candidate. That would have been the ideal thing to do. Anyway, this is my thinking. The others are free to do what they want to do.

Were you consulted before Anna and his team began the Hisar campaign?

There was no specific consultation. After my statement of disapproval appeared in the newspapers, Arvind Kejriwal called me to clarify that Team Anna’s plan to oppose candidates had been shared and discussed earlier. But to my knowledge, that was to be done only if Parliament and political parties had reneged on their promise to pass the Lokpal Bill. I had to tell Kejriwal that, as far as Hisar was concerned, we had jumped the gun. Now, what happens if the Congress passes the bill during the winter session? By the way, it is not just about the Congress, it is the UPA. However eager one may be to bring about change, we should allow the system to work. We should be patient.

What is your feedback on Team Anna’s Hisar strategy?

People should not think of the anti-corruption movement as a political movement. But I’m afraid, they’ve already begun to speak of it in those terms. It’s not a good sign.

Arvind Kejriwal has said ‘Anna is above Parliament’....

I wouldn’t like to comment on this. It was unwarranted. This is what happens when you talk too much. Let me remind you that when politicians said that Parliament is supreme, I opposed it. That is because the Supreme Court can strike down any unconstitutional move by Parliament.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that the Sangh supported the Anna movement. What’s your view on that?

In our part of the world, there is a saying that everybody likes to catch the tail of a winning horse.

How do you see your future role in the movement?

I am committed to the Lokpal Bill and will fight until it is passed. But I may not be in favour of this particular thing of opposing candidates in an election.

What is the future of the movement?

We’ll have to wait and see. There is a lull now. Anna has given his suggestion to Parliament, let’s see what it does. We want the system to work. I read in the papers that intellectuals have written to the PM on the Lokpal Bill. That is a good and constructive way to keep up the pressure, so different from opposing candidates in an election.