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The Congress yesterday accused the BJP of “blocking” five anti-corruption bills, alleged its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had forced the party’s hand on the issue. |
Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said that Modi “made the BJP go back on its earlier stance” on the bills which were being “championed” by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.
“Given his record of stalling Lokayukta, giving undue advantage to select corporate houses and shielding corrupt ministers, it is hardly surprising that Modi made the BJP go back on its earlier stance,” Maken said in a statement.
He also said the Bharatiya Janata Party wanted to deny credit to the Congress for the bills which would have ensured effective institutional mechanism against corruption.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had been pitching for passage of six anti-corruption legislations during the extended winter session but only one of them - the Whistle Blowers Protection Bill was passed.
Meanwhile, Rahul yesterday met human rights activists at Jantar Mantar and assured them the government would bring an ordinance on anti-corruption and human rights bills.
Thousands of people, including activists, protested demanding the government bring out an ordinance on three pending human rights legislations — the Grievance Redress bill, the Disability Rights bill and the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment bill.
“He (Rahul Gandhi) told us he has spoken to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi about bringing an ordinance on the pending bills,” Anjali Bhardwaj of the National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information said.
“He also said the government will bring the ordinance soon,” she said, adding Rahul spoke with them for over 15 minutes.
The parliament has passed the Whistle Blowers Protection Bill and the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill. Earlier, Bhardwaj said that it was shameful that parliament was not passing key human rights bills pending for several years.
She said that all the bills pending in parliament had wide political consensus and they could have been easily passed if parliamentarians had the political will.
Bhardwaj said since the house was adjourned sine die, the protesters would meet political leaders to urge for reconvening parliament at least for a day to pass all the pending bills.
“The parliament needs to be reconvened or the government should come up with an ordinance so the bills do not lapse,” she said.