Thaindian News

Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 18 (IANS) Team Anna member Kiran Bedi Friday warned of more “Ramlila Maidan-like protests” if the Congress-led UPA government does not pass the Lokpal bill in the winter session of parliament beginning Tuesday.

She said the “onus” for getting the Lokpal bill, that aims to combat corruption in society, passed in parliament rested on the Congress party.

Bedi, who was here to participate in a workshop organized by Team Anna, said they have “nothing against the Congress per se but firmly believe that the onus for getting a legislation passed lay on the party in power”.

She said if the Congress fails to pass the Lokpal bill in the winter session then it “would trigger Ramlila Maidan-like protests in more than 300 cities across the country”.

Team Anna, headed by Anna Hazare, has been leading a successful anti-corruption campaign for a strong Lokpal bill. Hazare twice sat on hunger strike in New Delhi in April and August demanding a strong Lokpal Bill, demanding inclusion of Prime Minister’s Office and the higher judiciary under its ambit. In August, he sat on hunger strike for 288 hours.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi have promised to the nation that the Lokpal bill will be passed in the upcoming parliament session.

“We are watching the situation carefully and, for now, hoping that they would keep their word,” she told reporters.

“If the bill is not introduced in the parliament or it is brought without being given much teeth, the country would witness agitations on a much larger scale,” Bedi said.

The Lokpal bill and some other versions of it, including one prepared by Team Anna, are being examined by a standing committee of parliament, headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The panel is to give its recommendations to parliament by the first week of December.

The winter session of parliament will end Dec 21.