New Delhi: Dalit leader Udit Raj, who is
campaigning against Team Anna's version of Lokpal bill, on Tuesday demanded that corporates, NGOs and media are brought under the
anti-corruption ombudsman to make the law "more effective".
"If there is no representation of plurality, I don't
think this law will be successful," the National Chairman of
All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations said.
He said he along with other activists will give their own
version – the 'Bahujan Lokpal Bill' -- to the Standing
Committee on September 24.
The Bahujan Lokpal Bill claims to have taken up issues
that are not mentioned in the existing three drafts --
government draft, Jan Lokpal bill and Aruna Roy's bill, he
claimed.
Raj said their drafting group consists of 16 core members
including representatives from Muslims, Christians, Dalits,
other backward classes(OBC) and progressive Brahmans.
"Anna Team has given the impression that the backward,
dalits and minorities are ignored and their civil society,
indeed, does not represent them. These sections are
apprehensive that if they are not given representation in the
Lokpal committee, their victimisation is sure," he said.
The group alleged that corporate houses "are dens of
corruption" and should also be brought under the ambit of
Lokpal, if corruption is to be fought seriously.
NGOs and Media should also not be left out, Raj added.
Disagreeing with Arwind Kejriwal's view on excluding
NGOs from Lokpal Bill because there are separate laws
to govern them, Raj said that there are similar laws for
politicians and judiciary too.
He said they would protest if corporates and NGOs are not
brought into Lokpal's ambit.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, September 20, 2011, 20:48