RS witnesses stormy session over Lokpal; Congress worried of opposition support

29 Dec 2011 Evaluate

The debate over Lokpal Bill (ombudsman) in the world’s largest democratic Parliament continued its course to upper assembly today. Although, nation-wide anti-corruption movement’s lynch pin, Anna Hazare called off his 3-day fast on second day itself owing to his deteriorating health, but opposition continued to be government’s headache in Rajya Sabha today and demanded stronger Lokpal.

Congress party with its allies is in minority in Rajya Sabha and needs support of the MPs of SP, BSP and RJD. However, Samajwadi Party members in Lok Sabha who walked out of the house before voting on the Bill on Tuesday, had warned government for stronger Lokpal else their MPs may vote against the measure in the Upper House today. RJD party members said the bill was 'doomed' because 'nobody' wants it and the party may also vote against it. However, BSP party is yet to decide its stance on the ombudsman Bill and its leader in Rajya Sabha Satish Chandra Mishra said party’s strategy will be revealed at the time of voting in the House.

The upper house witnessed long debate between the two lawyers. BJP leader Arun Jaitley who was representing opposition in upper house said present version of Lokpal Bill is 'phoney, a constitutional cocktail and dangerous'. At the other end Abhishek Shanghvi, who spoke on behalf of government, said BJP making excuses not to pass Lokpal Bill. Targeting BJP he said, 'You are creating a breeding ground for big-ticket corruption. If you don’t want to pass the Bill then say so, do not mislead the nation.'

The UPA government’s woes are intensifying, as Hazare and his team is appealing to the public to uproot the rule of the “party high-command” from the country. Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal in his flaming speech said the government’s Lokpal is spineless and appealed to the people to uproot such government. “Annaji is correct when he says it is a second war of independence for us. After the Britishers left, the country is suffering from the rule of the party high-command. It is time to seize power from them and give it back to the people. The bill is tailor made to suit the party high-command. Laws have become by the party high-command, for the party high-command and of the party high-command. I pity the politicians. They are bonded labourers of their party high-command. First we have to free them,” Kejriwal said.

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