Hegde may reconsider move to quit joint committee on Lokpal

New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) Justice Santosh Hegde on
Saturday indicated that he may not resign from the joint
drafting committee on Lokpal Bill after Indian Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement that the government was
looking forward to enacting a strong anti-corruption
legislation.
The Lokpal Bill is a draft anti-corruption bill drawn
up by prominent civil society activists seeking the
appointment of a Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would
investigate corruption cases.
"It is a nice gesture on the part of the Chairman
(Mukherjee) to issue a statement. He was very fair in his
statement so also many others have said that this type of
vilification campaign is wrong," he told reporters here on
arrival from Bangalore.
Hegde, who felt "hurt" on certain statements made by
Congress leader Digvijay Singh and had threatened to quit,
said he had a talk with Hazare who told him not to take any
"precipitate action" but discuss with him at a meeting this
evening.
"I am bound by the decision the committee takes to be
presided over by Hazare. I was personally hurt at some
statements. Now clarifications have been given and the
statement has come. I have grievances, I am not carrying the
complaint anymore," he said.
He said he had publicly announced that he would resign
after consulting his colleagues at and "I have to complete
this process".
To a question, he said if Hazare ask him to vacate, he
will quit.
Before leaving for Delhi , Hazare told reporters in
Pune that the meeting would take a decision on the Hegde
issue.
Asked if the people's trust has been dented because of
controversies, he said "no, the people's trust is not dented
by this. If the people did not have trust, there would not
have been such a big crowd."