Congress serious about fighting corruption: Rahul

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Friday said his party "is serious about fighting corruption" and urged the opposition to help the government pass the anti-graft bills pending in parliament.

"It's about a system. The Congress party is serious about it (fighting corruption). Let us have a session and pass the (pending) bills together," Gandhi said at a news conference after the party discussed ways to curb corruption and price rise with 11 Congress chief ministers here.

Noting that the historic Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011, passed amid din in parliament's winter session that ended Dec 18, was not sufficient to deal with corruption, Gandhi stressed on the need for similar laws at the state level too.

"The Lokpal bill is one step. If we want to fight corruption, we need a framework not only at the national level but also at the state level," he said.

Explaining that by "the framework" he meant the pending anti-graft bills in parliament, the Congress vice president appealed to the opposition parties to help the government pass these legislations.

"What is the framework ... there are bills sitting in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha ... please pass these bills," he said adding, "Accountability of national Lokpal should also go to states."

Observing that while the Congress was highlighting the need to have a mechanism to fight corruption, Gandhi said the opposition parties were silent on the issue.

"But there is silence from the other side," he said referring to the opposition parties, adding: "We are blocked in parliament again and again."

"Let us stop talking, let us start acting," he said.

Noting that price rise was a concern, Gandhi said price of fruits and vegetables was "the main issue".

Corruption charges against the United Progressive Alliance government in the past years and high price rise were listed as reasons behind the Congress rout in the recent assembly polls.