Parliament passes Lokpal bill; Sonia Gandhi credits Anna Hazare

New Delhi: After eight unsuccessful attempts over the last five decades, India on Wednesday took the historic step of enacting the Lokpal law by which an anti-corruption watchdog would be established that will have in its purview even the office of the Prime Minister.

The Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2013, was passed by voice vote amid din created by members from Seemandhra region who were protesting against division of Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana state.

The Bill was already passed by the Lok Sabha in December 2011 but it came to the House again as it underwent amendments before being approved by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The measure got support from all parties except Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena, whose members staged a walkout.

Read on: Anna Hazare breaks fast, cold-shoulders AAP

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi hailed the passage of Lokpal Bill as a 'historic and landmark' step to fight corruption.

Soon after Parliament approved the bill, Manmohan Singh said, "It is a historic and landmark legislation and we are very happy that Parliament in its wisdom has chosen to enact this legislation."

Sonia Gandhi said she was 'very happy' over the passage of the bill.

The Congress chief spared no time to praise anti-corrutption crusader Anna Hazare who led hunger strikes for the Lokpal Bill. "No one but Anna Hazare deserves credit for the passage of the bill," Sonia said.

Terming the passage of the bill as a 'big success', Rahul Gandhi said more needs to be done to fight corruption.

"If you want to actually fight corruption, we need a framework to fight corruption. The Congress party has bills in the pipeline that need to be passed," the Congress Vice President told reporters outside Parliament House.

"We had a big success here with the Lokpal bill. We had the RTI earlier and I think, that we should pass these bills that are pending in Parliament," he said.

He was apparently referring to the proposed legislations like Whistleblowers' Bill, Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill and Amendment to Prevention of Corruption Act among others.

"I only want to say that one bill is not enough. We need to create an indepth framework. I have the entire framework written here. There are seven bills, which need to be passed," Gandhi said holding papers related to pending anti-corruption legislations in his hand.

Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday voiced its displeasure over the passage of the bill. "This isn’t a Lokpal, but a political conspiracy. The credit for this useless Lokpal goes to Rahul Gandhi," said AAP leader Kumar Vishwas.

Adding to it, Manish Sisodia slammed the bill saying, "Police, Nagar Nigams, schools and hospitals don’t come under the ambit of Lokpal, so what is the use?."

Explaining their stance, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters after walking out of the Parliament: "Corruption will rise, nothing else. People supporting it are doing so for votes, we are opposing it for the country's welfare."

Earlier, participating in a debate on the bill in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi sought extension of the Winter Session to pass six more bills which were "part of the comprehensive anti- corruption framework" of the UPA government. 

Also read - Salient features of the Lokpal Bill

"Lokpal Bill alone is not enough to fight corruption. What we need is a comprehensive anti-corruption code. The UPA government has prepared anti-corruption framework."

"Eight new central laws have been brought...We should complete the unfinished work of fighting corruption...Six anti-corruption bills are pending. If necessary, can we not extend this session of Parliament," Gandhi said as the debate began on the key bill to create an anti-graft ombudsman.

Noting that Lokpal Bill was part of this comprehensive framework, he said the RTI law was the first on the UPA list. The others which remain pending are Prevention of Corruption amendment, right to citizens for time-bound delivery of goods and services, public procurement, foreign bribery, judicial accountability and the whistleblowers bills, Gandhi said.

Read here: PM fast-tracked Lokpal bill

Swaraj supported the measure but attacked the Congress for clamouring to take credit for it, saying "the people of this country and the old man (Anna Hazare) who has undertaken fast several times deserve the credit."

Earlier, Speaker Meira Kumar allowed the bill, as amended by the Upper House, to be laid and taken up for consideration by Lok Sabha. 

Law Minister Kapil Sibal said discussion on the measure has taken place over past two years both inside and outside the House. The Lok Sabha had passed it in December 2011 and urged the House to adopt the Bill returned by the Rajya Sabha along with the amendments.

The Bill aimed at dealing with the menace of corruption and brings under its purview the Prime Minister with certain safeguards and other public servants.

Speaking on the Bill, Swaraj said her party had opposed the earlier Lokpal Bill as it was a weak legislation but she was happy that the Rajya Sabha - where the opposition is in majority - had amended it suitably.

Rahul Gandhi said this was a chance to make history by passing the Lokpal Bill.

"RTI was UPA's most important assault on corruption. Lokpal Bill alone is not enough to fight corruption, we need a comprehensive Anti-Corruption Code," he said. "This is about the anti-corruption framework and the framework of justice that we want to deliver to the country," he added.

SP and Shiv Sena opposed the Bill. SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said this will bring government work to a halt as government servants will be afraid of carrying out their duties.

"It will create a fear psychosis among the bureaucracy and no official will take a decision or sign a document," Yadav said, adding that as per the law, a low level policeman will be empowered to question and investigate senior politicians and public officials.

"This is a very serious issue...Why do we need this kind of Bill," he said, demanding that the Bill be withdrawn and be taken after a thorough discussion in the next session of the Parliament.

"I am surprised at the Opposition's support for this Bill," Yadav said and urged senior BJP leader L K Advani to oppose the Bill, as he led a walkout of SP MPs.

Soon thereafter, Anant Geete (SS) also led a walkout of party MPs. 

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said he is supporting the Bill as he does not wish to create any hurdle in the work of the government. He expressed certain reservations about the Lokpal Bill, including the provision of putting the Prime Minister under Lokpal.

"By doing so, the accountability of the Prime Minister will not be to the House but somewhere else," he said.

Dara Singh Chouhan (BSP) said there is a clamour for taking credit for this Bill and 'this is also a kind of corruption'. He noted that any policy, however good, is futile if those implementing it do not have good intentions.

Earlier when the Bill was taken up for discussion and passage, TMC member Sougata Roy raised a point of order saying that the measure passed by Rajya Sabha had been circulated among Lok Sabha members only today.

He said that as per rules, a two-day notice should be given to members before taking up any legislation passed by the other House.

Disposing of his point of order, the Speaker said she had consented for waiving the two-day requirement and the Bill was laid on the table of the House this morning itself.

Throughout the debate on the Lokpal Bill, supporters and opponents of Telangana continued raising slogans in the Well.

YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy led his party members in the Well while TDP and Congress members, from Telangana and Seemandhra regions, continued shouting in support of their respective demands. S.K. Bwiswmuthiary (Bodoland Peoples Front) was also in the Well protesting attacks on tribals in Assam. 

Next: Lokpal will lead to more corruption: SP

Lokpal will lead to more corruption: SP

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party, which staged a walk-out in Lok Sabha in protest against the Lokpal Bill, claimed the enactment of the measure will lead to an indecisive atmosphere in the country and result in more corruption.

"Laws were enacted for women and atrocities against women increased. So this will also increase corruption," SP leaders Ram Gopal Yadav said outside Parliament.

Yadav said, "Corruption will increase further. Now no one will sign on any file or take any decision. There will be an atmosphere of indecision in the country." 

Referring to the Bofors case, the SP leader said, "After the Bofors incident, the country could not get any new artillery gun. Now file movement will be stopped and everything will be passed on for the next government. This is the state of affairs."

When it was pointed out that it was only SP which did not support Lokpal, he said, "Others are for votes but we are concerned about the country."