Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of obstructing passage of the Lokpal bill in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress Friday said the opposition party wants to use the issue in the upcoming assembly elections.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi strongly rebutted the BJP allegation that the government was not keen on passage of the bill and said the opposition party had given notice for more than 180 amendments so that the “bill was not passed somehow”.

“Why the assasian of democracy is blaming the victim in a pre-emptive manner,” Singhvi said.

However, he played down the opposition by ally Trinamool Congress to some provisions of the bill in the Rajya Sabha Thursday and its notices for amendments.

“Definitely, there was disagreement…what happened with that. These things sometimes happen in coalition. We have to work consensually,” Singhvi said.

Defending the decicion of Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari to adjourn the house sine die after the government sought more time to work on the bill in view of amendments, Singhvi said “an impasse had been created by the BJP.”

Attacking the BJP, Singhvi said the party had revealed its “duplicitous face, hypocritical approach and double-faced tounge.”

“The BJP did not want to be seen as obstructing, yet it was obstructing..It was too clever by half. You have to have courage of your conviction to say no,” Singhvi said.

He said the BJP also did not want a strong Lokpal in states.

“We condemn the negative stance of BJP and its allies aimed at cheap politics so that Lokpal bill was not passed in the session. Whatever BJP did had one aim - that the bill is not passed,” Singhvi said.

He said BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had said in the Lok Sabha that the bill should be sent back to the standing committee.

“We accepted some amendments in the Lok Sabha. UPA showed flexibility,” Singhvi said, adding that the government had worked for extension of winter session by three days so that the Lokpal bill is passed.

The Congress leader said the BJP had never said it did not want constitutional status for Lokpal - mooted by Rahul Gandhi - but finally opposed the proposal.

“It was rejected only because Rahul Gandhi, who is a political opponent, gave the idea. It is negative politics.”

Answering queries about the Rajya Sabha chairman not extending the session to continue debate on Lokpal beyond midnight, Singhvi said only president can extend the dates of session.

He said opposition also had the responsibility to get the bill passed as the government was in a minority in Rajya Sabha.

Singhvi said the government was ready to get the same Lokayukta bill passed in Rajya Sabha which had been earlier approved by the Lok Sabha.