Former SC judge N Santosh Hegde snubs BJP, says 'acche din' yet to come

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a lot of effort but "Achhe Din" are yet to come, says former Supreme Court Judge N Santosh Hegde. He is of the opinion that the BJP-led NDA government should tell people why it is unable to fulfill its election promise of bringing back black money.

"I won't say they have delivered. As compared to the previous government, shade of corruption I don't see. So far as the Prime Minister is concerned, he has made a lot of efforts but 'Achhe Din Abhi Tak Aaye Nahin'," said Hegde on his assessment of the performance of the Modi government, which completed two years in office recently.

But the former Solicitor General of India said he was impressed by Modi's address to the US Congress earlier this month.

"Relationship with foreign countries has developed very much. It's a change from the earlier political dispensation," he said.

On BJP's promise to bring back black money stashed abroad, he said, "They must bring it back. I really, really don't understand what's the hurdle they are facing. Have they approached the Swiss government? Has the Swiss government denied information? Come out with it. It just can't be only an election manifesto."

On Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's tenure, Hegde, who was a key member of the Anna Hazare movement against corruption along with the former, said he certainly does not think the AAP chief has made any impact in either curbing corruption or promoting good governance.

"Two ministers (of Delhi government) are under scanner, three other ministers...police have filed a complaint against," the former Karnataka Lokayukta member said, adding that it's a myth to say that one can change the society overnight through an honest political party.

"It will take a long time before people start revolting. Unless we change the society which today respects power and money only, unless we rebuild a society of 1950s and 1960s which boycotted the corrupt...we have to build such a society. Fall in moral values is the cause of most of our problems today in the country," he said.

"When the going is bad, Kejriwal starts pointing fingers at others," he claimed.

"What did he do in the first 52 days?...49 days he spent at Rajpath (in New Delhi), protesting. Is it running a government? Merely because police officers were not suspended, a constitutionally-elected government...I (Kejriwal) am functioning from Rajpath. Nothing personal against him. Only his action I am criticising," Hegde added.

-PTI