New Delhi: The Lokpal Bill appeared to be on the verge of being passed in Rajya Sabha on Monday, with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today appealing to all political parties to set aside differences to ensure its passage to fight corruption.
The Gandhi scion dismissed suggestions that Congress drubbing in Delhi polls and Anna Hazare's fast were forcing the government's hand.
Rahul Gandhi made a strong pitch asking parties to set aside their differences for passing the Lokpal Bill.
The bill, as amended by the Select Committee, has been taken up for consideration in Rajya Sabha, and after it is passed it will be sent back to the Lok Sabha, for Parliament to put its final seal of approval.
"Our job is to give this country a powerful Lokpal Bill. We are 99 per cent there and what we need is one per cent from the political parties and we can actually finish and deliver Lokpal," Rahul Gandhi said.
Only the Samajwadi Party has said, it is opposed to the Lokpal Bill.
Asked whether the government was pushing the Lokpal bill in order to salvage its pride after the electoral rout in Delhi and other states, Rahul Gandhi said "This is not...We have struggled for a while but at every step Parliament is disrupted. This has to do with corruption and this has to do with serious weapon to deal with corruption like RTI."
He said Lokpal is an "extremely important legislation" and is part of a larger framework to deal with corruption, of which RTI is the "single most powerful" weapon.
Asked whether government's sudden interest was because of electoral debacle, Gandhi said, "it is not a question of victory or defeat. This bill will help India.... this argument that we doing this as a result of elections is a bit unfair."
"We should put aside our little differences, get together and finish the bill in national interest," Rahul Gandhi said.
