New Delhi: DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran on Wednesday said in parliament that there is no social diversity in the appointment of judges, saying women and members of the Scheduled Tribes are not fairly represented.

According to LiveLaw, Maran said that only five people from Scheduled Castes have been appointed to the Supreme Court, and that "one particular community" seems to be dominating the entire judicial community. He added that women are not equally represented and that not a single member from ST communities has been appointed to the Supreme Court.

Maran also engaged in a war of words with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, when he raised the issue of 4G and 5G services of the BSNL, alleging that the government was favouring a private operator.

"When the former telecom minister has assured that 4G and 5G services would be given to BSNL and MTNL. Till date no signs of them starting the 4G services. In fact they are losing customers to Jio which is supported by the government where the Prime Minister itself was the poster boy in the photos advertised," he said.

This elicited a chorus of opposition from the Treasury benches as the BJP leaders took offence of the allegations calling them "unfair".

Intervening in the matter, speaker Om Birla urged the members to restrict their questions to their respective states and constituencies or policy matters, and asked them to avoid levelling allegations.

Maran also protested against Union minister Piyush Goyal using an objectionable term for him, which Birla said will not go on record.

(With inputs from PTI)

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