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Panaji, Feb 2 (IANS) Taking on Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for trying to "slight" Justice (retd) N. Santosh Hegde's credibility, India Against Corruption (IAC) said Saturday those who criticise the former Karnataka lokayukta "should have the stature to sit at his feet". "Before making comments about his credibility, those who criticise him should see whether they have the stature to even sit at Hegde's feet," IAC spokesperson Satish Sonak said at a press conference here. On Friday, Parrikar had demanded an apology from Hegde after he accused the Goa government of diluting the state's Lokayukta law. The chief minister challenged the former Supreme Court justice to a public debate on the issue. He said that IAC members were being misguided. Sonak also said the Goa governor should not give assent to the controversial amendments to the public ombudsman legislation, which he claimed "promotes corruption, instead of arresting it". The Goa assembly Thursday passed the controversial amendments seeking to increase penalty and even imprisonment for those filing "false and frivolous complaints". The amendments also allow declarations of the Lokayukta to lapse if the chief minister's office does not take cognizance of the same in three months. Another amendment allows ministers indicted of corruption to hang on to their posts instead of making their resignation mandatory. "The Goa governor should seek clarifications on these amendments," Valmiki Naik, coordinator of the IAC said.
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