Lokpal Bill: Digvijay Singh backs Maya demand

Amid the controversies surrounding the Lokpal Bill drafting committee, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Saturday backed Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati’s demand for a Dalit representative on the panel while central minister Salman Khurshid ruled out any changes in the committee.

“The demand is just,” Singh said, adding nothing could be done now because the bill drafting panel has already started its work, but the “demand is valid”. Khurshid, one of the 10 members on the panel, told reporters here that “there is no question of changing the committee members.”

“I (and) other nine colleagues are concerned about forming a good bill. We will not be distracted by any controversy or claims outside the committee. These are independent matters and are apart from what we are doing in the committee,” he added about the controversy over the panel.

Two prominent activists in the committee, Shanti Bhushan and son Prashant have been accused of graft. Another member, Karnataka ombudsman Justice N. Santosh Hegde, has also threatened to quit over the “vilification campaign”. The Karnataka ombudsman was disturbed by Digvijay Singh’s remarks accusing him of failing to curb corruption in the state.

“I value his (Hegde) contributions enormously and hold high respect for him. I hope he will be able to be with us. We want his contributions. ,” Khurshid said of the matter. Hegde too has opposed Mayawati’s demand saying.