By IANS,
New Delhi: A group of non-governmental organisations will hold a rally in the capital Monday to demand removal of Lokpal Bill drafting committee co-chair Shanti Bhushan and son Prashant from the panel following the CD controversy.
Lucknow-based National RTI Forum along with Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences (IRDS) and some other organisations will hold the protest April 25 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Jantar Mantar, according to organisers.
The rally termed “Anna, Do Justice” has been planned because many civil society activists have sided with Shanti Bhushan and openly defended them in the face of all the serious allegations, Nutan Thakur, convener of National RTI Forum, said.
“We are demanding an independent and swift enquiry against eminent lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan. We also want them to be kept away from the joint drafting committee as long as they are not given clean chit in the enquiry,” added Thakur.
Thakur said they are not against any individual, but believe that if the very foundation of the drafting of a bill against anti-corruption is based on serious allegations of corrupt practices, then it loses its entire meaning.
“Now that even the government report has come about the CD transcript being true, our demand has acquired all the more importance and relevance,” she said.
Allegations were raised against Shanti Bhushan over a CD containing a purpoted conversation between him and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and then party general secretary Amar Singh over allegedly influencing a judge.
While a government lab authenticated the conversation, a private lab has said it was not genuine.
Both the Bhushans have categorically denied the allegations.
The next meeting of the joint drafting panel, which has five ministers and five representatives of civil society, is slated May 2.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee heads the drafting committee.