Mayawati demands a Dalit in Lokpal panel

The simmering row over the Lokpal Bill drafting committee turned into a political potboiler after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati demanded the inclusion of a representative from the scheduled caste community in the panel on Friday. Addressing a news conference at Lucknow, Mayawati strongly lambasted the civil society and central government for their alleged 'bias' towards the scheduled castes, asking why they had not been given suitable representation. Meanwhile, briefing mediapersons in New Delhi, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh candidly lent support to Mayawati, saying her demand was not unreasonable.