Goondas entering politics, scams like ‘Votegate’ threat to democracy: Ex-Lokayukta

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Former Supreme Court judge and retired Lokayukta N Santhosh Hegde (in pic) said that the number of goondas with criminal backgrounds entering in politics is increasing and “it’s a matter of great concern.”

Speaking about the recent voters’ data theft scandal that surfaced in Bengaluru, the former judge said that while reports of incidents such as an illegal collection of voter’s information by conducting pre-poll surveys are increasing day by day, on the other side there is also a rise in the number of criminals entering into politics, he said.

There was a time when politicians did politics and used businessmen to raise money as they approached the elections. However, now the politicians have themselves become businessmen in their own right-owning educational institutions, hospitals, real estate, and other services.

Various studies often conducted by thinkers across India have proved that muscle and money have many times controlled the fate of the citizens. “Irregularities in the voter list are against the constitution and against the law of the nation. The Election Commission is an independent body. Such scandals raise concerns among the people as to where our democracy is headed,” Santhosh Hegde said.

The retired Lokayukta also said that every citizen needs to study the constitution to build a healthy society. “The political system is in desperate need of reforms,” he added.