I salute Santosh Hegde: Manohar Parrikar

Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde has found a fan in former Goa chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manohar Parrikar.

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

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

Hegde had exposed major irregularities in the state's mines. He subsequently resigned as he felt he could not fulfil his anti-corruption mandate owing to the non-cooperative state government.

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