Rahul Gandhi seeks support for Lok Pal Bill

Takes centre stage to showcase Congress and UPA govt's 'serious intent' in getting the Bill of 'national interest' passed in Parliament

On Saturday, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi took centre stage to showcase the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s “serious intent” in getting the Lok Pal Bill passed in Parliament. He appealed to all political parties to support the Bill in “national interest”.

The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the government of indulging in a “fixed match” with the Samajwadi Party, which has been opposing the Bill in Parliament.

Observers say social activist Anna Hazare’s ongoing fast demanding a Jan Lok Pal Bill and the advent of the Aam Aadmi Party on an anti-corruption plank have exerted the government to push the Lok Pal Bill on an “urgency” mode. In the run-up to the 2014 general elections, the Congress is desperate to see the Bill through. The Bill will be taken up by the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Flanked by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Law Minister Kapil Sibal and Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy, Gandhi presented the perfect picture of the government and the party being on the same page; the gulf between the two had been cited as a major factor behind its recent electoral debacle in four states.

Gandhi dismissed suggestions the current circumstances had forced the government to push the Bill, saying the Bill was but “one important tool” in the “overall framework to fight corruption” and the UPA had already made a beginning by enacting the Right to Information.

Making an emphatic appeal, Gandhi said, “Our job is to give this country a powerful Lok Pal Bill. We are 99 per cent there…what we need is one per cent from political parties and we can actually finish and deliver Lok Pal.”

Gandhi left Finance Minister P Chidambaram to respond to the charge that “UPA’s own ally, the Samajwadi Party” was opposing the Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Without naming Samajwadi Party, Chidambaram said, “It is possible one or two parties may have reservations on the Bill. I don’t think there is any party that says we shall not or should not have the Lok Pal. No party has said so. We appeal to them to keep aside those reservations.”

With the Congress seeking to ensure it is felt “the Congress-led UPA’s efforts” have led to the Lok Pal Bill making it to Parliament “after a long struggle”, Gandhi refrained from commenting on Hazare’s ongoing fast on the same issue. “Our work is to build an anti-corruption infrastructure. We will keep doing this...Hazare is on fast; that is his perspective.”

This was Gandhi’s third direct interaction with the media in a week.

In the past, he has preferred to stay at arm’s length from the press. He has drawn considerable flak for his refusal to engage with issues, as well as with the public.