I salute Santosh Hegde: Parrikar

Panaji (IANS)- Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde has found a fan in former Goa chief minister and senior party leader Manohar Parrikar.

Speaking during a debate in the monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly Thursday on the issue of vigilance on government departments, Parrikar said that he saluted the man who blew the whistle on illegal mining in Karantaka.

"Look at former (sic) Lokayukta of Karnataka Santosh Hegde. Thanks to his efforts, the Karnataka government has banned iron ore exports to curb illegal mining. I salute him," Parrikar said in an impassioned speech.

Parrikar also demanded that the office of the Lokayukta should be constituted in Goa and a former judge of Hegde's calibre and probity be appointed, which, he said, would help root out corruption from public life.

Hegde had exposed major irregularities in the state's mines. He subsequently resigned claiming inability to be effective in his anti-corruption mandate owing to a non-cooperative state government.

However, Hedge later withdrew his resignation, after persuasion from the BJP's central leadership including party veteran L.K. Advani.