SP maintains it opposition to Lokpal Bill, Govt. assures bill will be passed

Maintaining its staunch opposition to the Lokpal Bill, senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ramgopal Yadav on Monday said the party is totally opposed to the bill, and added, that if there is a need, then they will disrupt Parliament.

"We totally oppose the Lokpal Bill. If such a bill is introduced, then not a single officer or a minister will sign on their decisions. The whole country's decision making power will come to a standstill," Yadav said.

Reiterating their demand for a discussion on the price rise, Yadav said, "They are not accepting my demand, so, I will not accept their demand. My demand is that there must be a discussion on price rise. They did not accept it. But anyway, these two things should not be co-related."

"I have never assured that we will never disrupt Parliament. If there is a need, then we will definitely disrupt it," he added.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath assured that the Lokpal Bill will be passed in the current session of Parliament, even if it means extending the session.

"Lokpal Bill is our priority and, if we have to pass it, we have to extend the session, then, we will definitely do it. We can have a discussion on it till midnight and can then pass it," Nath said.

Nath said the government is building a consensus on the bill, and is requesting all parties to support it.

"We are requesting everybody to support the Bill, as it is the necessity of the country at the moment. The Bill should be passed as soon as possible. All parties are supporting the Bill barring one or two, who have reservations on it. But I am sure, we will be able to pass it," he said.

"We are confident that the public will appreciate our draft of the bill, as Anna Hazare has praised it. But the people who want to politicise the issue are pointing out some flaws. But right now, it is a big step for the country," he said in a veiled attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who is opposing the bill and termed it as 'Jokepal'.

Over the past year, India has been transfixed by a campaign led by Anna Hazare to force the government to create an ombudsman, which would prosecute corrupt politicians and bureaucrats.

Hazare's initial hunger strike brought millions of sympathizers out on streets and forced the government into a series of U-turns.

Hazare said that miserable performance of the ruling Congress party was a result of backing out to bring the Lokpal bill.

However, many political experts believe that had the Congress brought the Jan Lokpal bill then they would have not failed so badly in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections nor would they have faced electoral drubbing in Goa and Punjab assembly polls, or the recent Assembly elections for Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.