'BJP scuttled bill on lokpal status to snub Rahul'

The Congress today alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not support the bill for granting constitutional status to the lokpal only because it was Rahul Gandhi's idea.

The Congress on Monday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not support the bill for granting constitutional status to the lokpal only because it was Rahul Gandhi's idea.

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"BJP has now sought to justify not supporting lokpal bill by giving spurious and hypocritical excuses," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singvi said.

The constitutional amendment bill which was to give a constitutional status to the anti-corruption ombudsman was defeated in the Lok Sabha Dec 27.

The BJP has said it would support the bill only if lokayuktas are formed under Article 252 of the constitution, which, according to the party, gives more liberty to states.

"BJP said in the standing committee in writing (that) we support constitutional status without conditionalities. In the all-party meeting, they supported constitutional status without conditionalities," Singhvi told news channel NDTV.

"In the Lok Sabha, a spurious argument was raised suddenly only because Rahul Gandhi was the author, irrespective of the merits," he said.