Baba Ramdev expresses doubts on Lokpal panel

Agencies

New Delhi, 10 April 2011: Baba Ramdev has expressed doubts about former law minister Shanti Bhushan and his advocate son Prashant Bhushan being members of the Joint Drafting Committee for the Lokpal Bill. He alleged nepotism in the Lokpal Bill panel.

 

Responding to Ramdev’s allegations, social activist Anna Hazare defended the the Lokpal Bill panel. He said, "Baba Ramdev seems to have had a misunderstanding. It’s a family matter. We will sort it out. This is the best team and it will not change. You need to understand this is the temperature team for drafting."

 

Kiran Bedi also defended the Joint Drafting Committee saying, "I spoke with Ramdevji and tried to explain him on the matter. This is not a relationship thing, but they are the ones who will bring reform."
She also said that she consciously said no to be a part of the panel as they wanted the best people to be in the team.

 

 

RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal also backed Anna Hazare. "Naturally who understood the nitty gritty of the bill will be in this team. There was a collective decision on the team members. There is no controversy involved into the matter," he said.

 

However, Shanti Bhushan agreed with Baba Ramdev and said, "Baba Ramdev is right. Normally two members of the same family should not be there. Even Prashant also felt so. He therefore, told Anna Hazare that he should not be pun in it, but they insisted him and over ruled him. He had to therefore, bow down for their wishes. Ultimately, the power is with Anna, so whatever Anna says has to be accepted."

 

Baba Ramdev later clarified saying that he didn’t have any opinion on the panelists, but just wanted to know why Kiran Bedi was not included.

 

Anna Hazare broke his five-day-long fast after the government issued a notification for the Lokpal Bill redrafting committee.

 

The panel will have have five members and five representatives of the civil society. It includes Anna Hazare himself, but not as a chairman, lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal and former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde.

 

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will be the Chairman of the committee that will also include Law Minister Veerappa Moily, Telecom Minister Sibal, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid as members.