Civil society representatives back Bhushans
With demands being made by various quarters that they resign from the joint drafting committee of the Lokpal bill, the father-son duo of Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan had some civil society activists batting for them on Thursday who said there was no need for them to quit the joint drafting panel.
Former cop Kiran Bedi and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal called a press conference here on Thursday and put up a strident defence of the Bhushans, both lawyers.
In the meantime, Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde who is also a member of the joint panel said on Thursday that he was considering quitting the panel. The Bhushans were first embroiled in a controversy over CDs involving conversations with SP leader Mulayam Singh and expelled SP member Amar Singh followed thereafter by allegations of benefiting from allotment of farm land in Noida. Continuing with his attack on the Bhushans, Mr Amar Singh was among those who voiced the demand for the resignation of both Mr Shanti Bhushan and Mr Prashant Bhushan from the joint panel.
“To catch thieves, you cannot have dacoits,” remarked Mr Singh while also saying that Anna Hazare should not defend the Bhushans. Both Ms Bedi and Mr Kejriwal said that there was no need for the Bhushans to quit the Lokpal panel as a “malicious campaign” is being carried out against them by some “corrupt elements in and out of government”.
They also maintained that the campaign is aimed at derailing the drafting of a strong Lokpal bill.
“There is no question of anybody resigning from the joint committee. No one will resign. We are at a historic juncture where we are going to have a strong anti-corruption law. We are not the ones who run away from battle zones,” said the duo at the press conference.
Mr Kejriwal further said, “These are difficult times. Some forces are targeting us. There is no substance in these allegations.” He added, “If Shanti Bhushan resigns, Prashant Bhushan resigns, Hegde resigns, Hazare resigns...Who will benefit from this? We have a historic opportunity. But let us not squander it.”
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