New Delhi: The Congress hopes to use the Lokpal Bill’s passage to crawl back to political centrestage, after its drubbing in four state polls. The right noises made by its top leaders on the gay rights controversy, finding the spine to stare back at the United States in the ongoing controversy over the mistreatment of an Indian diplomat in America and now the passage of Lokpal Bill will, the party hopes, send a strong signal to the urban votebank which had of late been shifting from the Congress.
It also hopes with the endorsement of Hazare it can strengthen the image of vice-president Rahul Gandhi, that had taken a severe beating after the Assembly poll debacle.
Historic Lokpal Bill is through
Gandhi, who is often accused of remaining silent on key issues, said in a short speech in the Lok Sabha in support of the Lokpal Bill that other important measures — Prevention of Corruption (Amen-dment) Bill 2013; Right of Citizens for Time-Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of Grievances Bill 2011; Public Proc-urement Bill 2012; Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill 2010 and Whistleblowers Protection Bill 2011— should be passed by the 15th Lok Sabha before its term expires. He also suggested that the Winter Session be extended to pass six other anti-graft laws. Parliament, however, was adjourned sine die.
As Congress MPs rallied to give Gandhi credit for the Lokpal Bill’s passage, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, said, “The people of this country and the old man (Anna Hazare) who has undertaken fast several times deserve credit.”
