New Delhi: Arguing for inclusion of dalits
and minorities in Lokpal system, National Advisory Committee
member Aruna Roy today said any law without provisions for
these communities is invalid.
Addressing a rally organised by Udit Raj-led All India
Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, she said, "Any Lokpal or
law should not keep out the minorities. A law without
provisions for minorities is an invalid law."
Maintaining that corruption includes not just money-
related corruption but also injustice and discrimination, she
demanded that a search committee which will look for Lokpals
should have members from minority community and salits. It
should also have regional representation.
"If the Lokpal committee has five members, two should be
from the Dalit community and suppose two elected candidates
have equal votes then preference should be given to the one
from dalit community," Roy said.
On Anna Hazare's decision to resume fasting if Jan Lokpal
bill is not passed in the winter session of Parliament, she
said, "We are not against Anna, we only demand reservation for
all categories. In a country where people are discriminated
against corruption will not go away."
Raj told protesters that he agrees with Hazare on the
issue of corruption. "We support his demands within the
framework of the constitution, but he has not included our
demands for reservation in his draft," he said.
"Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal had said that they will
include representatives from all communities in Lokpal but
that was just a statement, it has to be included in their
draft of the Jan Lokpal bill," he said.
"We urge the government that Lokpal bill be passed in
current Parliament session only but after addressing these
genuine demands," he said.
PTI
First Published: Monday, November 28, 2011, 21:38