Dalit leader to give his own version of Lokpal to Parliament committee

Dalit leader Udit Raj, who is campaigning against Team Anna's version of Lokpal bill, 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.