Mangaluru, Apr 4: Calling upon people to take charge of democracy and ensure that corrupt ministers and other elected representatives step down from their position of power, anti-corruption activist SR Hiremath said the nexus between money power and power of the state has led to corruption and inequality in the society.
The president of Samaja Parivartana Samudaya was speaking Big Ticket Projects, Corruption and the Need for True Nationalism' organised by Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development at KACES campus at Balmatta here on Monday.
Stating that today's corporate companies represent real economic colonialism, he said that the corporate houses are compelling people to be economic slaves. Corporate colonialism must go in order to achieve economic independence. Also, cooperative movements need a boost, he said.
Hiremath questioned the purpose of earmarking crores of rupees as subsidies for corporate companies. He urged the government to recover the dues from business tycoons and said that the country has a faulty economic model.
He said caste system is a man-made inequality. Quoting Dr B R Ambedkar, he said, “We need to eliminate inequality or else our political freedom will be in peril.
The democracy is at crossroads today as the elected representatives have forgotten that people are the final custodians of democracy. Our representatives both in state and at the centre, better realise that they are public servants and people are paying them.”
He said that elected representatives should discharge their duties as per law. If they were found violating the law and acquiring unaccounted property, the people should make them leave their position of power and face a legal trial. “It's not an easy task but a worthwhile exercise,” he said.
Hiremath urged the Union government to frame land use policy which prohibits the use of agricultural and forest land for non-agricultural purposes.
Comments
Add new comment