UPA rejects Opposition charge that its not keen on running house

Decides to bring in Lokpal in Parliament on Monday

The Congress led UPA today stoutly dismissed all conjecture about a truncated Parliament session and stated the Lokpal bill would be taken up on Monday in Parliament. Underlining the seriousness of their intent to get some “serious” legislative business transacted in the six remaining days of this session, the Congress rejected the Opposition charge that the government itself was not interested in having both houses of Parliament function ( A whole week has been lost due to disruptions.) Union minister Harish Rawat today stated, “We want this Parliament to take credit for being the one which enacted the historic Lokpal bill; this being the last effective session of this.” Most political parties with the exception of some like the Samajwadi Party, are in favour of the bill. 

 

What has also pressurized the government is Anna Hazare’s ongoing fast in Maharashtra to compel the government to get the JanLokpal bill passed. 

 

Since morning both the BJP and the Left parties had publicly been stating that the “government was not keen on having Parliament function” as they were worried over the no confidence motion moved against the UPA in the Lok Sabha. 

"Usually it is the Opposition which is blamed if there are disruptions in the House but in the last two sessions- monsoon and winter- the ruling side has been fully responsible for it. Congress, YSR Congress, TDP MPs are in the Well of the House as soon as it assembles. SP and BSP, outside allies of UPA, too disrupt the House,” Sushma Swaraj said.

 

Rejecting this charge the Congress today appealed to all political parties to “cooperate” in getting the legislative business transacted. The Business Advisory Committee today allocated time for taking up the Lokpal bill in Rajya Sabha on Monday. 

Parlaimentary affairs minister Kamal Nath said, “Our priority is Lokpal Bill. The Lokpal bill has to be taken up in Rajya Sabha, and then it will come up in Lok Sabha.”

 

While the SP has already made public their opposition to the bill, others like the NCP and JD(U) have extended their support for the bill. The TMC has also committed to supporting the bill, “Trinamool Congress fully supports the Lokpal Bill ... For Lokayuktas, the state governments must have the full freedom to set up and run them," TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien said. 

 

After being cleared by the Lok Sabha, the Lokpal Bill was sent to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. The Committee, headed by a Congress member, Satyavrat Chaturvedi, held several sittings and all political parties were privy to it. There were 13 unanimous recommendations adopted by the Committee. 

 

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley today said, “The Government should bring the bill with these amendments and BJP will support it along with the UPA. The Rajya Sabha can pass it tomorrow and it can be passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.” 

 

The government reiterated that its not just the Lokpal bill, the government wants other crucial bills such as the SC/St reservation in promotion issue, the women reservation bill, the SEBI ordinance to be passed as bill.