M A I N   N E W S

Days after poll loss, Rahul pitches for Lokpal Bill
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Hazare hails draft Bill Anna Hazare, fasting for the past five days for passage of the Lokpal Bill, on Saturday said he was happy with the amended legislation presented in the RS I will call off my fast as soon as the Bill is passed by the RS, the LS endorses it and the  President signs it," he said.

New Delhi, December 14
Shaken out of slumber by poll defeats in four states, the Congress is now coming out of its closet to consciously engage with the people and issues that concern them.

If two days ago, it was re-criminalisation of gay sex by the apex court that attracted sharp reactions from both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, today it was the Lokpal Bill. The proposed measure has already captured the nation’s imagination, thanks to Anna Hazare and his aggressive former protégé Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party.

In his third public appearance within a week since election results were out, Rahul today said the Congress was committed to the Lokpal Bill and had in fact passed the most powerful anti-corruption law — the Right to Information — way back in 2005 when it was not facing any elections. “We appeal to all parties to set aside their differences and pass the Lokpal Bill. It is an issue of national importance. There is broad agreement on its provisions. We are 99 per cent there. Let us cross the finishing line,” the Gandhi scion said seeking support from the Opposition BJP and ally Samajwadi Party which openly declared its reservations to the Lokpal Bill that provides for an independent agency to investigate and prosecute government officials for corruption.

The SP with 22 Lok Sabha MPs provides the crucial outside support to the UPA which is in minority since the DMK and TMC exited.

Importantly, though Congress’ public positioning on the Lokpal Bill came in the midst of Anna’s fast and Kejriwal’s letter to Sonia today seeking Congress’ stand on 18 issues including the Jan Lokpal Bill, Rahul said his appeal was about his own position.

“It’s not about Anna or Kejriwal. The country needs the law,” he said dismissing suggestions that Congress’ anti-corruption pitch was rooted in its poll debacle and the prevailing anti-Congress mood.

“A much-bigger step against corruption was the Right to Information (RTI) law which we passed when we were going just fine. It’s unfair to say we are backing the Lokpal Bill because of elections,” said the Congress leader who, in his rare media address today, was flanked by high-profile ministers P Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal.